Christ Animated

When I was 12, I had a genuine leather pro-regulation size football, with laces that were starting to come loose, and a persistent slow air leak I couldn't figure out how to patch. Despite its shortcomings, that ball was one of the few things my best friend Darryl Nelms and I played with often. That summer, Darryl and I spent a lot of time tossing that ball back and forth in one of our front yards, or in the streets nearby. The last day was a Sunday, just before I went to Boy Scout camp. As we hurtled game-winning passes to each other, the only thing I remember talking about was each of us asking and reassuring one another that we each knew Jesus and were sure of heaven when we died. While I was at camp Tuesday, Darryl was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. He died on Thursday, having not woken up. Through different ways, God gave me peace about Darryl's death, though it took awhile. Thirty-three years later, I'm sure his parents still deal with the loss daily. I do...

What have former United States Presidents said about God, the Bible and Christianity? What do our current presidential candidates have to say? What does Scripture say about any of this? Let's first take a look at some quotes from former Presidents: -- "It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible" [George Washington]. -- "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which heaven itself has ordained" [George Washington]. -- "We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!" [John Adams] -- "Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe" [James Monroe].  -- "We have staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the whole of our political institutions upon the capacity of manki...

General's Sketch pencils and toothed sketching paper, Community Coffee and its aromatic vapor, Speckled butterbeans and Buffalo wings, These are a few of my favorite things! Star Wars and Star Trek and Stargate the movie, SGU, Lost, and Bob's Burgers are groovy, Criminal Minds and new guitar strings, Even that Josh Whedon cancelled show thing. Black and white movies and certain old teachers, McQueen and the series of books 'bout Jack Reacher, Dekker and Clancy, Bradbury and King, These are a few of my favorite things. When the bugs bite, when the kids fight, When I'm feeling morose, I just think of a few of my favorite things, Then wish for a root beer float.

Be prepared. That's the motto of the Boy Scouts of America. I used to be in the scouts, a long time ago. Preparation. Of vegetables - rinsing, scrubbing, cutting off stems and bad spots, removing seeds and membranes, chopping for use. The bell peppers we love to use in cooking are not usually the star of the dish. They are a small part of it. But they are important. Just ask anyone who hates bell pepper. If they get a bite of one, it's like me finding that someone snuck sour cream or mayo in something I was looking forward to eating. I want to be prepared. I want God to shape me in preparation for whatever He has yet in store for me. But I don't want to be "prepared" - the shearing, pruning, cleansing process hurts. And I don't get to be the star of the final offering - that's not my place. I'm just a part of what He's doing. And that's a pretty good place to be.

He took your innocence Traded for shame Stole your childhood Fed your hope to the dark Self-condemned, he tried to add you To the trophies on his desk Your mind escaped, only God knows where And only God can save you Jesus died for everyone But only some receive it Jesus lives and soon will come This is why you must believe it Never escaped that empty cell Though you were rescued long ago Never forgot his lingering smell You still equate love lies and anger Though dead you see him everywhere It's hard to stand and hard to breathe Could this Jesus be a real help and hope You reach out trembling upturned hands Jesus died for everyone But only some receive it Jesus lives and soon will come Child you must believe it I don't know what you're going through And I don't understand Can't comprehend what you've suffered My heart breaks for you Just because this evil happened Doesn't mean God doesn't care He's not weak but He weeps...

My sin. It's very personal, because it is mine. It's usually private, because I know that it is sin. It's the one sin I try to justify in my mind and spirit, so I won't hurt so much. It's the one sin I try to expose and rail against so maybe I can be free from it. It's the one whose temptations never seem to leave me. It's the sin I fear the most. Your sin. Yours should be exposed and dealt with. Your sin will find you out! But my sin ... I hope it never catches up to me. I hope I don't hurt others with it. Again. My nasty pet in the corner. Sometimes I play with it. Sometimes it disgusts me. So I throw it out. Then realize later I've let it back in. Oh, God, help me, forgive me, free me. I need You. Because of this sin. Because it is mine. Because it is sin.

I'm not certain what that color is, but it's some kind of brown with a slight reddish tint. Interspersed throughout are dots of varied sizes and red or brown hues. Then, of course, there are blond, brown, gray and white hairs. But this description of my forearms would not be accurate if applied to my upper arms. Much less color and much less hair reside there - a stark contrast. To say I have a farmer's tan would be insulting to farmers. One day last week, I traveled back to Louisiana in my car that has no working air conditioner. So I rode with windows down, as usual. By the time I started my return three-hour drive, my shirt was soaked with sweat from the work I'd been doing outside on that very hot and humid day. My remedy? Iced sweet tea and a sleeveless shirt for the drive. Now my left upper arm is red, and sore. The sun burned my lily white skin. I'm not a redneck. I'm a redarm. 

I have been guilty. Guilty of allowing my defensiveness and indignation to keep me from making a full effort to understand the pain of others. And I was blind to my guilt. For these things, I am truly sorrowful and repentant. I feel so frustrated that my friends and neighbors don't understand one another, and I don't do a great job understanding or explaining, myself. I feel frustrated between a white cop friend and a black friend whose comments show they each don't understand where the other is coming from. I feel the same with friends on opposing sides of the issue of gay marriage, or who they hate more in the presidential race. And I don't always keep my mouth shut, unfortunately. But Jesus said His followers would be distinctly identified by their love for one another. And it's a love that is born of God's love for us, and spills out of loving Him first and others second. May God, the Author of life and love and peace, mercifully pour out all thes...

How many times have I moved in my life? I'm not sure about birth to about age 3, but I know that it involved at least a couple of moves. I've lived in the following places, though, I know. Booneville, MS Burnsville, MS Corinth, MS Chunky, MS Hattiesburg, MS (2 locations) Petal, MS (2 locations) New Orleans, LA Summit, MS Many, LA (2 locations) Chunky, MS (2 locations) Decatur, MS Hickory, MS Boyce, LA Brookhaven, MS So. I've lived in at least 14 towns/cities. In four of those, I lived at least one month in one location before moving to another in the same town/city. Our most recent move took place in Stage 1 this past weekend. Stage 2 is coming up tomorrow and the next day. In Stage 1, my wife Donna, daughters Britain and Jessica, and son Tobie, with help from a friend named James, moved several items into storage in Alexandria, LA, before Donna and I packed up our car (which we got fixed just hours before leaving!) and headed to Mississippi. Jess stayed ...

As a youth minister in a church where we were searching for candidates for the role of deacon, I was surprised one Saturday to receive an anonymous letter in the mail describing in five typewritten pages why a particular candidate should no longer be considered.  The hateful comments, wrapped in religiosity, boiled down to the fact that John* had been divorced and remarried.  Current deacons and staff met with the pastor the following day, each bearing a copy of the letter. With very little hesitation, we decided to ignore the letter, since the individual had not signed it, nor did they seem to have the best interest of John in mind. With no names mentioned, we all also had no doubt which church member had sent the letter.  Lisa* was well known for her harsh attitudes and unforgiving outlook toward virtually every person outside of her own children. He husband Robert* would either laugh and say Lisa didn't mean what she said "that way", or just shrug his shoulders, sh...

I have done what Piper suggests. I have wept and laid out regrets. I have mourned the deaths of loves and dreams, And the time I've wasted in meaningless things. My sobs have racked me and my head I've hung, Hoping for the final note of that song to be sung. So now I must rise, and wash my face. Take a deep breath, and welcome grace. Live where I am with what I have, Content with His gifts, though they're not what I ask. This life I have is all that exists With which to serve Him, It is what it is. So I'll trust You. Not just in words but in steps. Drag me from this funk. Your life in my breast. Open my eyes when I don't want to see. And thank You, Father, For not giving up on me.

This coming weekend, this Mississippi boy plans to move back to Mississippi. We'll be moving to Brookhaven, something we feel God is leading us to do. Amid sickness, transportation issues, and more, we're still trying to get ready, and trusting in the Lord for help with details. My wife Donna summed it up well, so I'll repeat her words below: "For those who don't know, I've been offered a great job as Managing Editor of The Daily Leader and we'll be moving to Brookhaven, Miss. this weekend. Brett's still waiting to hear about a job at the Ridgeland Lowe's so prayers are appreciated. He's had two phone interviews already, so now we're just waiting on good news. "Sadly, the old Jeep finally died for good and the Taurus is in the shop still waiting on a transmission that fits and works - we're about to order #3. (Ordering online is cheaper but tricky.) So right now we're without transportation. Prayers appreciated for that too...

I love you;   I care about you, so ...           I don't tell you about the booger                                  hanging from your nose           I don't tell you your new house is                         on a fault line in a flood zone           I don't tell you your water                                 in your glass is poisoned           I don't tell you you're spiritua...

Hands, wrists, arms, feet, ankles - 8 digging probes before I lost count, though feet and ankles were spared the needles. Three nurses at once, each on a different limb, tourniquets on each, tapping, probing, sticking, wiping, shaving, twisting, apologizing. They were attempting to start an IV for my scheduled GI scope. Once, with a 12 penny nail being inserted into my right wrist just below the thumb, a swarm of angry bees attacked the back of my left hand. I could never survive torture. I'm not sure a tattoo is even a possibility. Then, with my hand shaking and blurry vision, I signed something similar to my name on two forms, giving the surgeon permission to attempt to insert a central line in my jugular. After 20-plus painful and frightening minutes, the surgeon patted my leg and said, "Sorry, chief". Nothing else to try. No procedure today. Other than this, of course. I now think I know what it's like to be simultaneously choked and stabbed in the throat r...

Do you long for a movie about Jesus that sticks tightly to the words of the Gospels and leaves no room for “what ifs”? If so, then Risen is not for you. Set against the backdrop of Judea, 33 A.D., this film follows events in the life of Roman Tribune Clavius, as portrayed by Joseph Fiennes, as he investigates the death of Yeshua (whose translated name is Jesus), portrayed by Clive Curtis. The narrative begins with Clavius resting from travel in a desert inn, and concludes there, as well, the Roman soldier having recounted the events of the film to the spellbound innkeeper. His story arc begins as a faithful, effective and ambitious warrior quelling Jewish rebellion and serving Pilate, the Prefect. “Tribune, Pilate summons you,” are words heard repeatedly throughout the story. Charged with finding the body of a troublemaker Jew whom some have proclaimed the Hebrew's Messiah, Clavius interviews and interrogates witnesses, and investigates the evidence to see what...

My ideas left me alone today Stepping out the door I thought they were going out to play But - "You don't use us anymore" I stared at them, mouth paused agape As they pranced into the day Their last glance a challenge to defend But I couldn't think of what to say. (C) Brett Campbell 02.09.2016

Closer to you than you believe More ready to help than you can see Turn around and you will see Me Turn it down and hear Me breathe You ran so hard so long But the only thing remote is your heart I'm still right here Fall on your knees, throw up your arms Surrender You're My child, disobedient Disappointing but not disowned Loving arms are what await you Turn your head and heart toward home You ran so hard so long But the only thing remote is your heart I'm still right here Fall on your knees, throw up your arms Surrender (c) Brett Campbell, Jan. 26, 2016