tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24180222896086590132024-03-16T11:50:17.148-07:00Getting Deeper with TomIf you clicked on the GettingDeeper link looking for the SpotOnTheLake Water Depth Guide, this ain’t it. This blog gives our lake community, and anyone else that might be interested, a chance to share ideas about things that matter.Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.comBlogger565125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-83899817365251963872024-03-14T08:24:00.000-07:002024-03-14T08:24:36.446-07:00Faith Proclaimed<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dycuCikDcykMhfJN-2WP4SgoRs3CoWctvxBQKkkfKKBoyEli8VFp8BbZfjgllVxtWcyfO7xx3sVrfXOAepQmD-ta0_8hx3fJWcwcS8YqRPshCr3YlMMqiWLiu_A4fScdfMfjgWtLWIkwDMNQXiOO9qvL6Obz7rJXcFjy5sf2LtCQXWAZeBh-PQkY2nQ9/s1245/Josh%20Crawford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1245" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dycuCikDcykMhfJN-2WP4SgoRs3CoWctvxBQKkkfKKBoyEli8VFp8BbZfjgllVxtWcyfO7xx3sVrfXOAepQmD-ta0_8hx3fJWcwcS8YqRPshCr3YlMMqiWLiu_A4fScdfMfjgWtLWIkwDMNQXiOO9qvL6Obz7rJXcFjy5sf2LtCQXWAZeBh-PQkY2nQ9/w400-h215/Josh%20Crawford.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">John Crawford is one of my closest friends, my financial representative and my wife's boss. He has four sons which are each amazing in their own way. One of his sons, Josh, works at Passion Church. Three years ago he was leading the students there and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DEgtJeunzzY8&source=gmail&ust=1710513862861000&usg=AOvVaw2zENBBXEbr4Kv5I4eon0L7" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgtJeunzzY8" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">his message </a>was recorded and posted at YouTube. Last year, I was blessed to hear Josh speak at his nephew, Nathaniel's funeral. Nathaniel was able to meet his family, but only lived a few hours after birth due to a developmental condition. Josh showed an unbelievable amount of empathy and love for his nephew and his family. But he also expressed complete confidence in God's plan for him and the impact that he had on the world in the short time he was here. I know Josh is having a huge impact on the students in his church, and I can't wait to see his impact on the world. Join me in praying for Josh and his ministry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: start;" /></div></div><br /><br /></div><p><br /></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-69855859334749132902024-03-07T07:45:00.000-08:002024-03-07T07:45:17.367-08:00Well Done<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3IcMGYddXa1HYVtPTfptFS1cvpDf4WYcJpbiwo2rehIVnLt9nVD02Tx-_7yTrT5T6F5jSgEXUY2v_oDnId2Tv83575WImsj6gO7GWnHrEMF-ywerjMZQNJDXaX9pF2Yi9okd0ute_BuzjKZ3E5JQRI2KGmtv6nUWhc_RJtk0CbYMiAM-C9piSR9masju/s915/Well%20Done%203-7-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="915" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3IcMGYddXa1HYVtPTfptFS1cvpDf4WYcJpbiwo2rehIVnLt9nVD02Tx-_7yTrT5T6F5jSgEXUY2v_oDnId2Tv83575WImsj6gO7GWnHrEMF-ywerjMZQNJDXaX9pF2Yi9okd0ute_BuzjKZ3E5JQRI2KGmtv6nUWhc_RJtk0CbYMiAM-C9piSR9masju/w474-h246/Well%20Done%203-7-24.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Women have been fighting for fair treatment since the beginning of time. Some would say that we have made some progress and others would say the problem is worse than ever. Christians should be the ones leading the charge, but regrettably, there are plenty of us who have either offended women or not taken a strong enough stand for them. Shining a light on our shortcomings cannot dim what Jesus did. On a hot day, Jesus sat by a well as a woman approached and asked her for a drink. She was surprised because she was a Samaritan - and she was a woman. Jewish men would not typically start conversations with either. Also, Jesus knew that she had been married 5 times and was currently living with a man she was not married to. None of this would keep Jesus from talking to her with the goal of helping her, not condemning her. Dear God, please help me to be more like Jesus today.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Click <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DDylIFHJacV4%26t%3D206s&source=gmail&ust=1709912333419000&usg=AOvVaw1MHKUw1g9yzmA7BexJ6Ry0" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DylIFHJacV4&t=206s" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">here</a> for a short video illustrating the story.</div>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-65054080327272237622024-02-29T05:43:00.000-08:002024-02-29T06:05:21.794-08:00Choose Wisely<p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJNX7DDiJO66JfdJBFN5ps371WTuokMYC-sbcG99ERBoXCk6brqSrJmqopS6QuyXjOKdBo-rrP2NkSLOm16p5wtT8izo0jmeI1P2eKZatXPODurgSep6xcY9FaUG4lO6z99XA6ub2JXOasBG-kojegl4denBpZl-cIVFiW32DcCOp1oPTIX_CzkAzlw2p/s1024/Choose%20Wisely.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJNX7DDiJO66JfdJBFN5ps371WTuokMYC-sbcG99ERBoXCk6brqSrJmqopS6QuyXjOKdBo-rrP2NkSLOm16p5wtT8izo0jmeI1P2eKZatXPODurgSep6xcY9FaUG4lO6z99XA6ub2JXOasBG-kojegl4denBpZl-cIVFiW32DcCOp1oPTIX_CzkAzlw2p/s320/Choose%20Wisely.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Two weeks ago I posted that I was turning off the TV for 40 days with one exception. Caroline and I had been talking about watching <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9471404/?ref_%3Dfn_al_tt_1&source=gmail&ust=1709300428573000&usg=AOvVaw0RXUCOUdP7tvx0GVWJawOC" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9471404/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">The Chosen</a><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> for a while, but never started it, so we decided that could be our one cheat. We are now near the end of Season 1, and I have enjoyed it. The Chosen is about the life of Jesus, but one of the things I was surprised by is how the writers have blended in supporting stories from the Old Testament. I have seen this done in books before, but this is the first time I have seen it on the screen, and it is very effective. Also, this is the first multi-season series about the life of Jesus, so the writers have more time to develop the characters and the storyline than in a 2 hour movie. Season 1 is on Netflix, and we are moving over to Prime for Season 2. I believe that all three seasons are on Peacock or can be steamed through The Chosen app which was free the last time I checked. If you have watched it, I would love to hear from you. If not, please join us!</span><p></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-33749378071754985012024-02-22T06:38:00.000-08:002024-02-22T06:53:24.796-08:00Babeling Nimrod<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WSfkKKdas-911jRe5olBZcUfLug-bOTtnhanXkjBdzFPATad2YEtniH9fGU86nKCLvPDfhrqV1WCjQvaGBMqJcTKnJC7njrFtZghZUO2wPFbeaPDWHoPdETU0UzX9Ih3HzR70ckWLCge5LpzWL91mwhbvY4oMI89laVJzJPZXrkT9bLRNLIuZjl7SF_6/s1296/Babeling%20Nimrod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1296" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WSfkKKdas-911jRe5olBZcUfLug-bOTtnhanXkjBdzFPATad2YEtniH9fGU86nKCLvPDfhrqV1WCjQvaGBMqJcTKnJC7njrFtZghZUO2wPFbeaPDWHoPdETU0UzX9Ih3HzR70ckWLCge5LpzWL91mwhbvY4oMI89laVJzJPZXrkT9bLRNLIuZjl7SF_6/s320/Babeling%20Nimrod.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">After the great flood, one of Noah's grandsons, Nimrod, became a mighty hunter and then a king. He had everything a king could want, but whatever that was, it wasn't enough. He ordered his people to build a tower from bricks and tar that would reach the heavens, not as a monument to God's power, but as a monument to themselves. Everyone could gather there in one place so they could each tell one another how great they were. Sound familiar? 4500 years later we have our own Tower of Babel. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Social media has a lot of different faces, but one of the most common is that it provides a place where we can all gather and tell one another how great we are - getting the perfect photo, on the perfect vacation, in the perfect location with the perfect family. I recognize that many times these posts are innocent, but when a person becomes obsessed in building their image to be as good as, or better than someone else, that image building has become an idol for them - just like the Tower of Babel. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Now when God saw the Babylonians gathering to build the tower and worship themselves, he confused their language so that they couldn't understand each other, forcing them to separate and populate new regions. God could have a similar plan for social media, but in the meantime, I want to do my best not to be a babeling nimrod. I hope you will join me.</div>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-41305008722496333352024-02-15T08:12:00.000-08:002024-02-16T11:11:57.224-08:00Good Morning Jesus<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf41kjTfEq_q4jXI9UbssqZPF-Xov6dr-aQvv38CrJxde89NmxBdLjr6mIVT1bbWlQQzW83lMMnlhZpr5v2bMJiK8S168XBzkqH_7l1uJuiZKkL_neE3A_mW8mFRtpj9c_W9ZaqZvOlYagA2sZJULYBhSl3Et66QrENhS0wAoPBt9NeZk4Kh44HXcfYlrC/s900/Good%20Morning%20Jesus.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="900" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf41kjTfEq_q4jXI9UbssqZPF-Xov6dr-aQvv38CrJxde89NmxBdLjr6mIVT1bbWlQQzW83lMMnlhZpr5v2bMJiK8S168XBzkqH_7l1uJuiZKkL_neE3A_mW8mFRtpj9c_W9ZaqZvOlYagA2sZJULYBhSl3Et66QrENhS0wAoPBt9NeZk4Kh44HXcfYlrC/s320/Good%20Morning%20Jesus.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">I was 19 years old when Joan Lunden joined Dave Hartman as the host of Good Morning America. It was 4 years later when I married Caroline that I started watching GMA regularly. GMA became a part of my morning routine. Joan and Dave are now long gone. I like some of the current hosts more than others, but I continue to watch. It's a habit - a 40-year habit. I am going to try something new for the next 40 days. No television with two exceptions. I can watch while I exercise. I don't need any new excuses not to exercise. Also, Caroline and I have been wanting to watch </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9471404/?ref_%3Dnv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_the%252520chosen&source=gmail&ust=1708098824505000&usg=AOvVaw3Dl-fXKVz9hel4uO9I4RIY" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9471404/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_the%2520chosen" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">The Chosen</a><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">. So, we are allowing that as the one other exception. I am two days deep into this, and I can't tell you how many times I have reached for the remote control. I hope to replace the TV habit, with the habit of thinking of Jesus. So far, it is working. Who knows, maybe 40 days will turn into 40 years.</span></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-45174742153459270682024-02-08T08:18:00.000-08:002024-02-08T08:18:46.922-08:00Control Freak<p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qm7feJvfg0sZkbr7a0auTyOnVPO7K6PQ-od43Bc02MCUcZonBLgTyvE1YRN7UG7DjfctneSW9VJzSkMJhrMAjl-C6PsnKfp4rwlxUcan3v3708rAuUN1gW1hhKET01NFfcEOpJ1RzK9YkP7kM4LaWXPcVpUwp8oOmnAeOpZmPvBDhNwV3YFYUfn8St4M/s900/2-8-24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="900" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qm7feJvfg0sZkbr7a0auTyOnVPO7K6PQ-od43Bc02MCUcZonBLgTyvE1YRN7UG7DjfctneSW9VJzSkMJhrMAjl-C6PsnKfp4rwlxUcan3v3708rAuUN1gW1hhKET01NFfcEOpJ1RzK9YkP7kM4LaWXPcVpUwp8oOmnAeOpZmPvBDhNwV3YFYUfn8St4M/s320/2-8-24.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Our ConnectGroup from church gathered at our house for our first meeting of the semester last night. We are reading "</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Cost-Control-Crave-Anxiety-Promises/dp/0801094933/ref%3Dsr_1_1?crid%3DVXRHSGGZY3B5%26keywords%3Dthe%2Bcost%2Bof%2Bcontrol%2Bsharon%2Bhodde%2Bmiller%2Bbook%26qid%3D1707405290%26sprefix%3Dthe%2Bcost%2Bof%2Bcontrol%252Caps%252C156%26sr%3D8-1&source=gmail&ust=1707494958478000&usg=AOvVaw3EHedyaFOgDBcWHhHH5MfS" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.amazon.com/Cost-Control-Crave-Anxiety-Promises/dp/0801094933/ref=sr_1_1?crid=VXRHSGGZY3B5&keywords=the+cost+of+control+sharon+hodde+miller+book&qid=1707405290&sprefix=the+cost+of+control%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">The Cost of Control</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;">" by Sharon Hodde Miller. In the first chapter, Sharon explains that our desire for control is so strong, that if we don't have control in a situation, we have a tendency to create an illusion of control. That illusion may help to reduce anxiety in the short term, but if the illusion is not based in truth, the damage can be severe. One of the most graphic examples of this happened leading up to May 21st 2011. You may remember that as the day that the world was going to end - according to </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DerTyXwYeVXk&source=gmail&ust=1707494958478000&usg=AOvVaw3NS9xbWqtjlazLbWkD_mLR" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erTyXwYeVXk" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Harold Camping</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"> and his followers. Luckily for us, Harold's illusion did not come to fruition, and our world is still intact. There are at least two things unsettling about this. The first is that Harold had already been wrong once when he predicted the world would end in 1994. Apparently, people's memory was short. The second is that the Bible clearly states that we will not know when the world will end, so people making a claim that they know are misinformed. There were people who burned through their life savings expecting the world to end, and others that committed suicide when the story didn't unfold as Harold had predicted. Sharon promises to deliver solid advice on what we can do to manage our desire for control more effectively. I look forward to learning more.</span></div><br /><p></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-88689781485480928452024-01-30T12:50:00.000-08:002024-01-30T12:50:49.884-08:00The Fitz<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg394lsjGPzQIaVcjzwJVWLaeME0PoBQU9NDnhttsNS0-vE_yLo-tByQ4ftAGc3PWz19CQP2gOcfqWKuPtvv8c0d_zXeEFLbeXqqo9Zivu6xXRPpcilrJI9szAJS3kv7-lFmYskGRhK9BhUpGglWn577nelR1D2fOJ9jOncGm7Azzpm_DkqRUzLLtFQONBu/s960/The%20Fitz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg394lsjGPzQIaVcjzwJVWLaeME0PoBQU9NDnhttsNS0-vE_yLo-tByQ4ftAGc3PWz19CQP2gOcfqWKuPtvv8c0d_zXeEFLbeXqqo9Zivu6xXRPpcilrJI9szAJS3kv7-lFmYskGRhK9BhUpGglWn577nelR1D2fOJ9jOncGm7Azzpm_DkqRUzLLtFQONBu/s320/The%20Fitz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We got some sad news this week. Richard Fitzgerald, one of my closest friends passed away. I have known Richard, his wife, Kris, and much of their family for 35 years. We first met them when we moved into our home in South Gwinnett in 1987. We played on the same ALTA tennis team for many years and attended the same church. Richard was a deacon at the church, always holding leadership roles, and has taught Sunday School most of his adult life. Richard and Kris bought a second home at Lake Hartwell and then moved there full-time when they both retired. We have experienced our kids getting married, grandkids being born and grandkids learning to ski and love the lake. Richard was diagnosed with Cancer and has been going through treatment for the last few years. At times it seemed the Cancer was under control, but it continued to reappear. Richard endured the treatment with an amazing attitude and unbelievable faith. Richard will be remembered by many as a great husband, and a proud father and grandfather. But I will remember Richard as one of the most faith-full friends a person could ever ask for. I am glad that Richard is now fully healed with his Father in heaven, but I will miss him dearly every day. </span></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-66303939657449705002024-01-25T06:01:00.000-08:002024-01-25T06:01:40.307-08:00Washed Away<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BoNpmZEOgzcQLu5cSSIIKV9i15Uyv3EjZ3NP_xeSGzXdmvxKIE6nzAPI6jrEhxftMp4v6ppdsT1cfwHgUjr5ZjxrWFXUmIQHGotmfN-GZnMdFfrEh1Br5eaoZ5D9dhueLM6C1QHoWU_K3u4ZNkHs7l0Lfd8x0AkB92Xqu8gNNZyG0vPK31Tn3a_smrvk/s1635/Evan%20Baptism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1635" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BoNpmZEOgzcQLu5cSSIIKV9i15Uyv3EjZ3NP_xeSGzXdmvxKIE6nzAPI6jrEhxftMp4v6ppdsT1cfwHgUjr5ZjxrWFXUmIQHGotmfN-GZnMdFfrEh1Br5eaoZ5D9dhueLM6C1QHoWU_K3u4ZNkHs7l0Lfd8x0AkB92Xqu8gNNZyG0vPK31Tn3a_smrvk/s320/Evan%20Baptism.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;">Our lives are filled with milestones: team sports championships, graduations, new jobs, marriage, kids, kid's marriages and grandkids, just to name a few. These moments we will never forget. But the biggest milestone for my life was accepting Jesus. Years later, I was baptized along with my wife, Caroline, and my two kids, Michael and Lizzy. This past week, we had the privilege of seeing Michael's oldest son, Evan, be baptized at his church in Athens, while friends and family celebrated his decision. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for Evan as he grows in his faith. Praise God for His faithfulness.</span></div><br /><p></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-72162819546322010252024-01-18T10:39:00.000-08:002024-01-18T11:41:57.414-08:00The Day After<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uJrSflbeeFFW_yQwUzqq8fC_5eYaAw5MJ45NhCBulM3sg-kSnJo-Dlh3GFBh_sITaQ7tMNG3I-xLBLYaA3BcqTKRklozi1iF_HXMZtgzOrWgxGXk8wkt1wwswbLX3GM4yhA6WQ6BXqbMLDSHNpRiTNlwxY3RcC1KQWX59lsQ8Ms3oLFs-3P5DgYKD9in/s600/image%20(23).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uJrSflbeeFFW_yQwUzqq8fC_5eYaAw5MJ45NhCBulM3sg-kSnJo-Dlh3GFBh_sITaQ7tMNG3I-xLBLYaA3BcqTKRklozi1iF_HXMZtgzOrWgxGXk8wkt1wwswbLX3GM4yhA6WQ6BXqbMLDSHNpRiTNlwxY3RcC1KQWX59lsQ8Ms3oLFs-3P5DgYKD9in/s320/image%20(23).png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">He didn't think like other people thought, and he wasn't scared to let them know. His presence was large and growing larger. Some ignored him. Others disagreed with him. Many hated him. On Wednesday, he had spoken to a crowd, warning them that hard times were ahead. His life had been threatened. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">On Thursday, James made his way towards town with the explicit purpose to kill. His target was not random. It was specific. He completed his mission to kill Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4th, 1969.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Dr. King's speech the day before would come to be known as one of the most famous speeches in our nation's history. <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Near the end, he states: "Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he has allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over - and I've seen the promised land...Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Click <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DxZQdANyuh34&source=gmail&ust=1705688354341000&usg=AOvVaw1A21QM0Blr8K8VMrSzOeUg" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZQdANyuh34" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">here</a> to witness his passion. Praise God for Dr. King's leadership and his ultimate sacrifice.</div>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-57227095804278385912024-01-11T08:33:00.000-08:002024-01-11T08:33:02.719-08:00The Other Brother<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhts1QW8cEZxq43MkVrETaEoKNuD-f2JE9P9PQPVMwc3D0CUlFG8I12kjbq-J4Iks9GV69DSI8qNdg3ukqXjtggZJ_O9dUi6AwpvMeLDJ8HAABbB6JcftHX0aNStXjed4zGjDttFxc_6aHtRSxDHhqR7ahztoziQ3KNz1jjLAd-XFxiyhA7MoFdHApGtzsp/s1200/The%20Other%20Brother%20-%201-11-24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhts1QW8cEZxq43MkVrETaEoKNuD-f2JE9P9PQPVMwc3D0CUlFG8I12kjbq-J4Iks9GV69DSI8qNdg3ukqXjtggZJ_O9dUi6AwpvMeLDJ8HAABbB6JcftHX0aNStXjed4zGjDttFxc_6aHtRSxDHhqR7ahztoziQ3KNz1jjLAd-XFxiyhA7MoFdHApGtzsp/w400-h225/The%20Other%20Brother%20-%201-11-24.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Jeymes Samuel may not be a name that you have heard of, but perhaps you have heard of his older brother, Seal, who has released massive hits like <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DyivLt9cTaio&source=gmail&ust=1705076931869000&usg=AOvVaw3awMHjDDuX1gaXb92S9fBf" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yivLt9cTaio" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Kiss From a Rose</a>. Seal's little brother, Jeymes, is quickly making a name for himself. He not only produced "<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22866358/?ref_%3Dnm_flmg_t_1_prd&source=gmail&ust=1705076931869000&usg=AOvVaw1PRfqSAFRbMBmAB_hBCXwq" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22866358/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_1_prd" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Book of Clarence</a>" which opens in theaters tomorrow, he also wrote the script and the full score, and sings in all of the original songs. He also directed the film. I obviously haven't seen this one yet, but expectations are high. The story centers on a twin brother to the apostle, Thomas, who doesn't believe the claims of Jesus, and seeks to discover his own divine path. I'm not sure what tone the film will take, but I did read that Jeymes' mom was a devout Christian, so I am hopeful that some of that rubbed off on Jeymes. I'm quite sure there will be spirited discussion between people who appreciate the film and those who don't like the liberties he took with such a sacred story. My biggest hope is that there are people that might not have considered Jesus before,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"> that make a decision to do that based on Jeymes' work.</div></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-42719570890449511222024-01-04T07:03:00.000-08:002024-01-04T09:03:40.301-08:00Christmas Rules<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y-gLiPxxqYAGtbcEChibVo_owwbzvL5DO223nA_wH47fE_FhkKkhvZxRUPx_S-QeBp7QNPWCzv7xRAysuQGUing6jmaPt73QFGQzPuAHMNSFQeK2kdvyElaoybSbTEH1W5qRtQIQ47a4gN3tMjyhgNUWBlzul0SGnt2HgCpAfxSHgOqkJkfhwqjYpjxV/s560/Christmas%20Rules.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="473" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y-gLiPxxqYAGtbcEChibVo_owwbzvL5DO223nA_wH47fE_FhkKkhvZxRUPx_S-QeBp7QNPWCzv7xRAysuQGUing6jmaPt73QFGQzPuAHMNSFQeK2kdvyElaoybSbTEH1W5qRtQIQ47a4gN3tMjyhgNUWBlzul0SGnt2HgCpAfxSHgOqkJkfhwqjYpjxV/s320/Christmas%20Rules.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">I<span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> am really glad that Jesus was born. Celebrating Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, because it pretty much guarantees that all of my family will gather for several days. The immediate family includes Caroline, our two kids and their spouses, 7 grandkids and 3 extra dogs. While I have to admit that having that many people/canines is not always relaxing or easy, I can tell you that there is no group of people I would rather spend time with. Caroline and I are fortunate that our family is near enough that we can meet and that meeting is something we all still want to do. I hope the same for you. Thank you Jesus for being born and thank you for the family you have blessed us with.</span></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-41025592599630948062023-12-27T06:53:00.000-08:002023-12-27T06:53:39.855-08:00New Year Nuances<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I have a hate/love relationship with this time of year. Business wise, bringing in the New Year means that some extra work needs to be done to close out the previous year and plan for the new year. The end of the year also means tax prep is just around the corner, which I avoid like the plague. I'm a "routine" guy, so I am pretty good at doing the same things that are important every day. But, the "once a year" things are tough for me. I find that the hardest part of tackling the "once a year" things is starting them. Once I start them, I can sometimes almost enjoy the process, and the feeling of accomplishment when those things are finished makes it all worthwhile. Personally, the new year also presents opportunities for fresh starts. Those can be more challenging than the business fresh starts. Each year, I find myself making good on commitments to change for the first few weeks, and sometimes a couple of months, but it seems the natural cycle of the seasons pushes me back to the routines that I have been in for 62 years. I pray for more consistency this year, and if you have some changes that you are thinking about making, I pray the same for you.</span></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-75497921163646853652023-12-21T09:38:00.000-08:002023-12-21T09:38:28.801-08:00The Great Mystery<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpHUc943jk4YtMA38xjvBBut9sknGq-c6dWg_Uo0tLntCMkdDLoN5VJVs59tsO0tsq_8hJdXhKCw2hzVu6061c3PyIOfwnxDANYyTlozpwnFmNxefLy6IT3j3uy_ZYP11lJei1WO6f25-YNr_vVuE4Mb9HTq7x1oNuV4pePwiSvCuWiU1MR-jI_IC5iGsA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="841" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpHUc943jk4YtMA38xjvBBut9sknGq-c6dWg_Uo0tLntCMkdDLoN5VJVs59tsO0tsq_8hJdXhKCw2hzVu6061c3PyIOfwnxDANYyTlozpwnFmNxefLy6IT3j3uy_ZYP11lJei1WO6f25-YNr_vVuE4Mb9HTq7x1oNuV4pePwiSvCuWiU1MR-jI_IC5iGsA=w404-h200" width="404" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is the first year in a while that Caroline and I have not been a part of The Georgia Wind Symphony. We elected to take a break this year. While we felt the break was needed, we definitely miss being a part of the group, and especially the Christmas concert. One of my favorite songs of all time (any genre) is O Magnum Mysterium. I have posted about this song in the past, but when I think of my favorite Christmas memories,</span><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DssXGoAZtxkQ&source=gmail&ust=1703265660303000&usg=AOvVaw3l8fcdoSfZo7ZWVtasaCIJ" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssXGoAZtxkQ" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">this performance</a><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">always rises to the top of the list. Here are the lyrics from the original composition:</span><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><dl><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;">O great mystery,</dd><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;">and wonderful sacrament,</dd><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;">that animals should see the newborn Lord,</dd><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;">lying in a manger!</dd><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;">O blessed virgin, whose womb</dd><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;">was worthy to bear</dd><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;">the Lord Jesus Christ.</dd><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;">Alleluia!</dd><dd style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-right: 0px;"><br /></dd></dl></div><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My favorite <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D7KvrbYZB2vY&source=gmail&ust=1703265660303000&usg=AOvVaw0l3Vz-68BK4xE1afjl1ZXm" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KvrbYZB2vY" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">choral performance </a>was at King's College in Cambridge with the original Latin lyrics. Take a moment to be still and focus on the reason for this season. Merry Christmas.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-70615350658895884642023-12-14T06:56:00.000-08:002023-12-14T06:56:56.043-08:00Skeptic's Struggle<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRubuqsVOUi8aLYZQribEEOa8AL6gei9WXyLnEMuDxYzgb5dsREUI_f4BSgZksCFnalixwIetu03bypx7Z_0nBMATs9nwZuZ0oKaspfB8qfgbdeKmyUySv4daVjvfpOWc0adO8z4yOM76I8o0mh5RU80VHQAzYWM_NGIXvBHmMgsSSMb6jLAxUmNGvnWp/s940/Skeptics%20struggle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="940" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRubuqsVOUi8aLYZQribEEOa8AL6gei9WXyLnEMuDxYzgb5dsREUI_f4BSgZksCFnalixwIetu03bypx7Z_0nBMATs9nwZuZ0oKaspfB8qfgbdeKmyUySv4daVjvfpOWc0adO8z4yOM76I8o0mh5RU80VHQAzYWM_NGIXvBHmMgsSSMb6jLAxUmNGvnWp/w430-h242/Skeptics%20struggle.jpg" width="430" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Most of my closest friends believe Jesus is the son of God and that God sent him to earth to show us how He meant for things to be, but I have plenty of acquaintances that don't. Some deny that Jesus was the son of God, and others don't believe there is any God at all. Some believe that Jesus was an important historical figure, but don't choose to follow him. Many just don't want to think about it and have the position, "I don't know, and I'm too busy with stuff to think about it." Talking about Jesus with people who don't believe is difficult for me, but I think it is easier to talk to someone who has carefully considered Jesus as the Son of God than someone who just doesn't care to think about it. Julie Hannah is a mathematics professor in Johannesburg. While her parents took her to church when she was young, her mom told her she did not believe in God. As a teenager, Julie decided for herself that Christianity was nonsense. As a young adult she studied other religions attempting to find a worldview that worked for her. She also studied science looking for creation stories that could debunk any hope for a story based on intelligent design. Nothing satisfied her. She went back to the gospels and found a new attraction to the life and message of Jesus, but it was a recognition of her own inability to control the sin in her life that brought her to her belief that what she was reading in the Bible was true. Praise God for never giving up on Julie and for Julie's willingness to share her story. For more on Julie, read </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/december/julie-hannah-testimony-skeptic-investigation-jesus.html&source=gmail&ust=1702651962185000&usg=AOvVaw3Pg1HfR5R4KRs4HePLjspc" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/december/julie-hannah-testimony-skeptic-investigation-jesus.html" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">this article</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> in Christianity Today, and for more detail on her personal research, check out </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Skeptics-Investigation-into-Jesus/dp/1532674619/ref%3Dsr_1_1?crid%3D3NJ7XRT2V0UK1%26keywords%3Da%2Bskeptics%2Binvestigation%2Binto%2Bjesus%26qid%3D1702564235%26sprefix%3Da%2Bskeptics%2Binve%252Caps%252C99%26sr%3D8-1%23customerReviews&source=gmail&ust=1702651962185000&usg=AOvVaw0BmepTIJrplFO56WIcyode" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.amazon.com/Skeptics-Investigation-into-Jesus/dp/1532674619/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3NJ7XRT2V0UK1&keywords=a+skeptics+investigation+into+jesus&qid=1702564235&sprefix=a+skeptics+inve%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-1#customerReviews" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">her book</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">. I hope I have more opportunities to talk to people about what Jesus has done for me.</span></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-9023764488322259042023-12-07T04:22:00.000-08:002023-12-07T04:25:12.657-08:00For Such A Time As This<p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="302" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S5v1Pmle9XE" width="363" youtube-src-id="S5v1Pmle9XE"></iframe></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Our Connect Group from church wrapped up our study of the book of Esther last night. Esther grew up Jewish, but her heritage was not known in the Persia where she was living. Due to her physical beauty, she was selected by King Xerxes as his queen. One of Xerxes' lieutenants, Haman, came up with a plan to annihilate all of the Jews in the area and was able to get the king's approval for the plan. Esther's uncle, Mordecai, was also living undercover as a Jew and learned of Haman's plan to kill the Jews. Mordecai admonished Esther to use her influence as queen to get Xerxes to reconsider the plan, but in doing so her Jewish heritage would be revealed, which could lead to her own death. In his closing to his argument Mordecai states, "And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this." Esther is obedient and the Jews are spared. Haman's fate was not as good. He was impaled on the stake that he had built and intended for Mordecai. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">We will have mountain top moments in our life and our faith when it seems like there is nothing that can separate us from the light of God. We will also have times when we feel that we are in the deepest of valleys, and that there is no hope of being delivered from the darkness that surrounds us. Esther teaches us that it is in those moments when we need to depend on God's faithfulness for the strength to deliver us from the pain we are in. Who knows that we might be in that position for such a time as this. I found <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DS5v1Pmle9XE&source=gmail&ust=1702037715453000&usg=AOvVaw2dukx2f08Vb8dQ3mM09BQF" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5v1Pmle9XE" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">this worship song</a> that does a beautiful job of describing this.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></div>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-76423599111931816722023-11-30T10:17:00.000-08:002023-11-30T10:17:45.206-08:00Comfort In Pain<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzoxP17vbsdmIra5A6YjrJSyNAGRh8y7quB1bNYAH71e5aBSSldvgzjCjr6hm6qzsHlBfzUCA9BYANELupxi16BnWHtwZd1_FxuuDoIXjSJJu6E1Koedeqa_cP39_4-q2Ox7wwjZbl6l9V_W0ncQ0InAYYZXx_xHWf-uxjjuukK5ytOqWF-BJZYdS8YGq/s1382/Comfort%20In%20Pain%2011-30-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1382" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHzoxP17vbsdmIra5A6YjrJSyNAGRh8y7quB1bNYAH71e5aBSSldvgzjCjr6hm6qzsHlBfzUCA9BYANELupxi16BnWHtwZd1_FxuuDoIXjSJJu6E1Koedeqa_cP39_4-q2Ox7wwjZbl6l9V_W0ncQ0InAYYZXx_xHWf-uxjjuukK5ytOqWF-BJZYdS8YGq/w320-h232/Comfort%20In%20Pain%2011-30-23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Horatio Spafford was a successful attorney and real estate investor, but lost his fortune in one of the worst economic collapses in the country's history. Later that year, he lost his 4 year old son to a debilitating disease. With what money he had left, he decided to send his family on a trip to separate them from his work and soothe the pain of their loss. He arranged for his wife and four remaining children to board a ship from the states bound for England, and he would join them after tying up some loose ends with his work. Two days after boarding the boat, Horatio received a cryptic notification from his wife which said "Saved alone. What should I do?" He then learned that the ship his family was on had been hit by another ship, and his family's ship had sunk. Over 200 people died, including his four daughters. His wife survived. Horatio left immediately to join his wife in England, and part of the way into the trip, the captain let him know they were passing over the spot where the shipwreck had occurred. In the midst of unbearable pain, Horatio wrote these words of comfort. "When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll - whatever thou lot, thou hast taught me to know, it is well, it is well with my soul." The year was 1873, and Horatio had just penned what would become one of the most well-known hymns ever written. God did not promise that life on this earth would be easy, but He did promise that He would be with us and that He would comfort us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;"><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was first introduced to Wintley Phipps at a company meeting when he performed one of the most moving performances of <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DqNuQbJst4Lk&source=gmail&ust=1701452923824000&usg=AOvVaw1bzuQ282lyy--u1K0zkxDd" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNuQbJst4Lk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Amazing Grace</a> that I have ever heard, but I just found his arrangement of <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DE8HffdyLd0c&source=gmail&ust=1701452923824000&usg=AOvVaw1c07TmYLzzlxdMQyil1fsr" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8HffdyLd0c" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">It is Well </a>today. Take a moment to feel the comfort of God's presence.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><br /></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-2879637800113738272023-11-22T06:44:00.000-08:002023-11-22T06:44:45.962-08:00Thanks A Billion<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm thankful that at least once a year the holiday schedule reminds us to be thankful. Being thankful is one of the healthiest states of mind because it takes my mind off of my problems and points it towards all the good in my life. More importantly, it takes my mind off of myself and points it to others. I am thankful I have work that is meaningful. I get to work with Janet, who has been with me for 17 years, and my son, Michael, who has been with me for 10. I am thankful for many great clients who make working a joy and the others that create opportunities for growth. I am thankful for my extended family, many of which are close by. I am especially thankful for my immediate family. I would rather be with them than anyone else in the world. I am most thankful that God sent his son Jesus to die for my sins, and that He reveals Himself to me as a seek to know Him more. I hope you have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.</span> </p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-85550030219598346792023-11-16T06:34:00.000-08:002023-11-16T11:23:12.067-08:00The Shepherd shepherding<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHxrTr7Tya5rv2ieDeyPMwUfcHd3jVIjR5XKIY9LCIql9tHuGEz4jFiCyQZBNw2TSSX17P33LUrOBk04bFvHHUFhMxTaAEzttPxG01CfKDn6TH0owu_K2l-sUr94jMBXhAIyEhJbQw6GnB_dbPNlRZx9Rr3xaVUI74xUGGxJG4Lj10XMzzs3RfO0nhZCx/s291/Shepherd%20Shepherding%2011-16-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="291" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHxrTr7Tya5rv2ieDeyPMwUfcHd3jVIjR5XKIY9LCIql9tHuGEz4jFiCyQZBNw2TSSX17P33LUrOBk04bFvHHUFhMxTaAEzttPxG01CfKDn6TH0owu_K2l-sUr94jMBXhAIyEhJbQw6GnB_dbPNlRZx9Rr3xaVUI74xUGGxJG4Lj10XMzzs3RfO0nhZCx/s1600/Shepherd%20Shepherding%2011-16-23.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are looking for a great place to spend the night in Clemson, be sure to check out <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.shepherdhotels.com/&source=gmail&ust=1700231374040000&usg=AOvVaw1shbBqjl2FWeGg73cQssXk" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.shepherdhotels.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">The Shepherd Hote</a>l. It is a high end hotel with some of the best service around thanks to its relationship with Clemson Life. You may already be familiar with Clemson Life, or remember it from <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gettingdeeperwithtom.blogspot.com/2015/08/clemson-gets-it-right.html&source=gmail&ust=1700231374040000&usg=AOvVaw3GaW_wloJI27WWB0FfzQLd" fg_scanned="1" href="https://gettingdeeperwithtom.blogspot.com/2015/08/clemson-gets-it-right.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">this post </a>I made 8 years ago. The story is unforgettable. Clemson Life helps students with disabilities learn how to live on their own, and one of my clients and neighbors at the lake, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DEJ6D8z6BFz8%26t%3D1s&source=gmail&ust=1700231374040000&usg=AOvVaw2blfBU35zdGAnujbgNbp3f" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ6D8z6BFz8&t=1s" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">David Saville</a>, was featured in that video. The Shepherd Hotel opened last year and hired 60 students associated with the Clemson Life program to provide the highest level of service possible to its guests. Check it out for yourself the next time you are in the area.</div></span><p></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-49109217651817215662023-11-09T05:11:00.005-08:002023-11-09T05:12:10.738-08:00Adrift No More<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8sh7IC2fS4S4AiLYnoUfaEawhuexFUIPQFpOwZi4DeP6oLAbuf_ehUUO9VquyDOIRD1LOOHrkyDBIcK2XGessTJaSazhYjW7qymZ7FPmADCU_EPSo76scZ3L1JDP_j7GSZH6FoJJTCY7gqI5z6WVra07gGDGE5fFUBgFcqoHSB6Wnm1zJZIOtBYNvRu2/s1181/Adrift%20no%20more%2011-9-23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="1181" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8sh7IC2fS4S4AiLYnoUfaEawhuexFUIPQFpOwZi4DeP6oLAbuf_ehUUO9VquyDOIRD1LOOHrkyDBIcK2XGessTJaSazhYjW7qymZ7FPmADCU_EPSo76scZ3L1JDP_j7GSZH6FoJJTCY7gqI5z6WVra07gGDGE5fFUBgFcqoHSB6Wnm1zJZIOtBYNvRu2/w400-h215/Adrift%20no%20more%2011-9-23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Vinh Chung graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Biology from Harvard University and received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He is now a board-certified dermatologist in Colorado Springs, specializing in treating skin cancer using the Mohs surgical technique.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">In 1979, Vinh was four years old and floating adrift on a derelict fishing boat off the coast of Malaysia with 92 others including his mother, father and siblings. Vinh was one of the 300,000 boat people forced to flee Vietnam under the threat of persecution and death. On one of the last days that he was on the boat, Vinh saw his father fall to his knees and pray to his creator for the first time. His father was praying for rain that might save them from dehydration and allow them to live a few more days. Almost immediately, the skies turned dark and the rains came.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">That same year, Stan Mooneyham was the president of World Vision, a Christian humanitarian aid organization bringing relief to those in need. Knowing of the crisis in Vietnam, World Vision purchased a WWII service boat and had it reconditioned into a rescue boat. The mission was to try to bring aid to any of the refugees that were lost at sea, and was named Operation Seasweep . After days at sea, and finding no refugee boats, Seasweep was almost out of fuel and water and was preparing to return to port, but in the distance they saw a small fishing boat filled with refugees bobbing in the sea. On that day Vinh and 92 others were saved.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Vinh is now on the board at World Vision and has published his memoir, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Where-Wind-Leads-Miraculous-Redemption/dp/0718037499/ref%3Dsr_1_1?crid%3D1ANK00NSFPW03%26keywords%3Dwhere%2Bthe%2Bwind%2Bleads%26qid%3D1699527677%26sprefix%3Dwhere%2Bthe%2Bwind%2Bleads%252Caps%252C80%26sr%3D8-1&source=gmail&ust=1699620447185000&usg=AOvVaw272UoASAuozrFpbXWSB6fI" fg_scanned="1" href="https://www.amazon.com/Where-Wind-Leads-Miraculous-Redemption/dp/0718037499/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ANK00NSFPW03&keywords=where+the+wind+leads&qid=1699527677&sprefix=where+the+wind+leads%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Where the Wind Leads</a>, detailing the story. Click <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3Dj-e4qNfIbtg&source=gmail&ust=1699620447185000&usg=AOvVaw116WPyQyKBdH7-y1AfmRoX" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-e4qNfIbtg" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">here</a> for a preview of the book, and if you have more time, click <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D4LsyaMiCtbw&source=gmail&ust=1699620447185000&usg=AOvVaw3kVwxLETpuoWL3mLzYocpc" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LsyaMiCtbw" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">here</a> for the full story of Seasweep including footage of the actual rescue.</div>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-24790776213636247072023-11-02T11:10:00.000-07:002023-11-02T11:10:29.190-07:00Girl Power<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xMpc4iZ3rpo" width="320" youtube-src-id="xMpc4iZ3rpo"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">I have a lot of important females in my life - starting with my mom who lives next door to us, and my loving wife, Caroline, who lives next door to her...(with me!). Then there is my amazing daughter, Lizzy, and equally amazing daughter-in-law, Emily. Those two females gave me 5 more spirited granddaughters that bring us so much joy. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">I hear and read about a lot of girls that are hurting. They hurt because they may not like the way they look, or they aren't accepted by the cool kids at school. Many are bullied, and in the most extreme cases, they are taken advantage of. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">Some of you may be familiar with Tori Kelly. She is an accomplished singer with a long career, but do you remember that she got her start on American Idol when Simon did not vote her through and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DEbEwOvE_aYs&source=gmail&ust=1699024546723000&usg=AOvVaw3-3zNE0Xte8_Rq1LoTL1kE" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbEwOvE_aYs" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">described her as a human orange</a>? I am pretty sure that was not the only criticism that she endured trying to make a name for herself. I found <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DxMpc4iZ3rpo%26list%3DPLXTVgPUVBO28LUT48k08rZP8jwHpKhzTL&source=gmail&ust=1699024546723000&usg=AOvVaw1Yn5Ea62cj4Ru0aMfB6hS3" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMpc4iZ3rpo&list=PLXTVgPUVBO28LUT48k08rZP8jwHpKhzTL" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">this video</a> of her testimony which should serve as encouragement for any of us that sometimes feel like we are not enough. Tori sings both pop and worship music. I was mesmerized as she leads worship <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DXtxZAFjgPgY&source=gmail&ust=1699024546723000&usg=AOvVaw320ExPt9oZpJTh6TosdRzV" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtxZAFjgPgY" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">here </a>singing about the reckless love of God.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">I pray that all the females in my life, and females everywhere, find their identity in Christ and their joy in His reckless love.</div>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-43927572574170431492023-10-19T13:00:00.001-07:002023-12-07T04:10:58.171-08:00Looking For Joy<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBc6booVkrD2ZzY834HRO6io6CKFBDtWRhmvuVbAMgPV9cCOKdY4dRSxn7kjyAylSLGs_mWAsVmY6CPzRVxUQYcUfLcJAKPgQA-VMK0tzCruRH-tYapejkVXbvtzehLnB_FQ_rG4CKp3WJWDwwEjk1xjxJGAcFPIfj8zjWvT1JQeymXpsF8dmfMo1ig92a/s1197/Getting%20Deeper%2010-26-23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="616" data-original-width="1197" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBc6booVkrD2ZzY834HRO6io6CKFBDtWRhmvuVbAMgPV9cCOKdY4dRSxn7kjyAylSLGs_mWAsVmY6CPzRVxUQYcUfLcJAKPgQA-VMK0tzCruRH-tYapejkVXbvtzehLnB_FQ_rG4CKp3WJWDwwEjk1xjxJGAcFPIfj8zjWvT1JQeymXpsF8dmfMo1ig92a/w461-h238/Getting%20Deeper%2010-26-23.jpg" width="461" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Last week, I posted about a Christian comedian, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://youtube.com/@johnbcrist&source=gmail&ust=1697831096213000&usg=AOvVaw0VvQgcJDiNqTojQ5-qVOTH" href="https://youtube.com/@johnbcrist" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">John Crist</a><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">. John has definitely brought me some laughs over the years. Watching a good comedian can take the edge off and bring some temporary relief to a monotonous day or even some more serious struggles. But lasting joy only comes from a connection with our creator - and that creator sent his son, Jesus, to earth to reveal himself to us. I was looking for a worship song to help express that feeling and found this one by Tauren Wells and Elevation Worship. "If it's not good, then He's not done, no He's not done with it yet, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DuysGt7JVw9U&source=gmail&ust=1697831096213000&usg=AOvVaw1va2LwtsneAK6L_SW-hAMZ" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uysGt7JVw9U" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">there will Be Joy in the morning</a><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">". Take a few minutes and meditate on those words.</span></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-17401035798834753382023-10-18T05:50:00.011-07:002023-10-18T05:52:29.775-07:00Seriously?<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FrVoISieQk8" width="320" youtube-src-id="FrVoISieQk8"></iframe></div><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;">Let's face it, this blog usually deals with some pretty serious topics - serious to me, at least. Last week, I had some thoughts on the war in Gaza/Israel. A lot of times it is about something I heard at church or in our small group, and sometimes it is about something that inspired me. I admit to taking myself way too seriously most of the time, but that is my nature. My son, Michael, and his wife went to hear John Crist at the Fox Theater this past Saturday. You may be familiar with John from some of his YouTube videos. He is a Christian that is all about finding laughs at our own expense. I'm pretty sure God has a great sense of humor, and I know he loves humility. Here is a </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DFrVoISieQk8%26list%3DRDx8kWQLSJTIc%26index%3D5&source=gmail&ust=1697717149256000&usg=AOvVaw2Y9oPQBu_sYKlQXAm3KMdw" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrVoISieQk8&list=RDx8kWQLSJTIc&index=5" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">short clip</a><span face="tahoma, sans-serif" style="color: #222222; font-size: small;"> of John doing stand-up. I know I need a few more belly laughs, and maybe you do too.</span></div></span><p></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-12491990189509861892023-10-12T07:24:00.001-07:002023-10-12T07:24:04.238-07:00Terror Rains Down<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The military leader of the terrorist group in the Holy Land announced his intentions to kill every Jew within reach - his barbaric actions based on centuries of hate. Fortunately, God placed two people, their Jewish heritage hidden, within the trusted circle of the terrorist and his cabinet. At great risk to their own lives, the two Jews were able to convince the terrorist organization's leader to spare the Jews, and a notice was sent to the Jewish towns warning them of the threat and encouraging them to prepare their defense. Many Jewish lives were spared 2500 years ago due to Esther and Mordecai's courage to stand in the face of danger. I wish that last Saturday, someone would have had the same influence within the Hamas organization that could have saved thousands of Jewish lives. Now, my prayer is that Hamas would feel the unrelenting resilience of the Jewish people and fold quickly under the threat of annihilation, hopefully sparing more innocent lives in Israel and in Gaza. I pray that God will show his face to anyone with a desire to see Him.</span></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-22417771485782772992023-10-05T05:40:00.002-07:002023-10-05T05:40:34.470-07:00Refusing To Bow<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu97pxgE3bTNhQGB5unCWTU0AuvW22Ha2FY3EAz2_Ihv5PKz7IbAUDgSKlIqwXkOVz2fKkz4p0kQx5y1zfnQxdyE6zT7zEjb6jHQ4Zw3u8Lp-K5vuF1VEzXsJE8bNkedy00lHjaLC0uzdGUORNs2SNLNPCUjm7PRK98QTznP6SsNvkbQEWrDZPqqSEKxkg/s1294/Refusing%20to%20bow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1294" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu97pxgE3bTNhQGB5unCWTU0AuvW22Ha2FY3EAz2_Ihv5PKz7IbAUDgSKlIqwXkOVz2fKkz4p0kQx5y1zfnQxdyE6zT7zEjb6jHQ4Zw3u8Lp-K5vuF1VEzXsJE8bNkedy00lHjaLC0uzdGUORNs2SNLNPCUjm7PRK98QTznP6SsNvkbQEWrDZPqqSEKxkg/w395-h281/Refusing%20to%20bow.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">In the Book of Esther, Mordecai refuses to bow down to the ruthless Haman, who had been appointed as the right-hand-man to King Xerxes. After Mordecai revealed his Jewish ancestry, Haman ordered not only Mordecai to be killed, but all Jews. What happens next is for future posts, but Mordecai's refusal to kneel paints a picture of faith under fire.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">In 1936, August Landmesser attended a rally, led by Adolf Hitler, to christen a new ship and was identified in this photo as the man with crossed arms refusing to salute Hitler. He had become disenchanted with the party when the party tried to intervene in his relationship with Irma Eckler, a Jewish woman. Both Landmesser and Eckler were sent to separate concentration camps. Eckler died among 14,000 others exterminated by the Nazi's there. Landmesser died performing dangerous service as a part of the penal battalion that he was assigned to.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: justify;">We may not be faced with genocide and concentration camps, but every day we have the opportunity to stand up for our faith or hide it from the world. I want to stand more.</div>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2418022289608659013.post-83246615237215955542023-09-28T07:20:00.000-07:002023-09-28T07:20:00.044-07:00Loving Life<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCiBgItcBTlGAMjf1bzfQToGdF528oN-r4U7-95Q-UIxI3eTQl2v-upNlNmyqEYXmylcxdE7ZKuSG1d4V4Bzqi2kZ19CQ-iGoHl1w6zwNyZy7GPxVn5w5OFidqkPmFu0_d-VfWBG6yCoAtKiS9_2qJagUrBoqIBwhJlIkfHsf8Gtcdtc4ITWVbLJk1-WA/s853/Loving%20Life%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="524" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCiBgItcBTlGAMjf1bzfQToGdF528oN-r4U7-95Q-UIxI3eTQl2v-upNlNmyqEYXmylcxdE7ZKuSG1d4V4Bzqi2kZ19CQ-iGoHl1w6zwNyZy7GPxVn5w5OFidqkPmFu0_d-VfWBG6yCoAtKiS9_2qJagUrBoqIBwhJlIkfHsf8Gtcdtc4ITWVbLJk1-WA/w235-h382/Loving%20Life%202.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: small;">One of my closest friends is John Crawford. I met him in 1980 at UGA when we were both in the Redcoat Band. Our lives have many intersecting points. I am his insurance client. He is my real estate client. My wife works for him. But more than anything, he has been a spiritual mentor for me for 40 years. John has four sons, and the oldest is Luke. Luke is married to Elizabeth, and 9 months ago they were excited to announce that they were pregnant with a child, which would be John's first grandchild. Shortly after that, the family was saddened to find out that their baby had a condition called Anencephaly. Anencephaly is a rare, serious condition where the baby's brain does not develop completely and cannot survive for long outside of the womb. Many, if not most parents, would make the decision to end the pregnancy. Luke and Elizabeth never considered that option. They wanted the opportunity to hold their baby and love it for any time that they could. Last week, baby Nathaniel was born and loved as much as any baby could be loved for a full hour before passing into the loving arms of Jesus. The family was grateful for the time they had with Nathaniel and recognized that Nathaniel was one of the few children that never experienced any pain or sadness on earth. We all praise God for that, and I praise God for the value that Luke and Elizabeth placed on Nathaniel's life. Their story is a miracle for me.</span></p>Tom Miller - Getting Deeper with Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17285669967089164528noreply@blogger.com0