This Summer – Cash or Charge??? (Reboot)

Posted on June 27, 2023 by David Rische

Several years ago in one of my graduate classes, the professor had us fill out a “getting to know you” sheet.  One of the prompts read:  “Fondest memories as a child _______.”  After a short while, the class shared their results.  Approximately 99% of the class shared their fondest memory was taking trips in the car as a family.  Of course, we all complained about the lack of quality (or no) AC, annoying siblings, endless hours in the vehicle staring at desolate landscapes, and various unpleasant odors that accompanied the trips.  However, despite having no smartphones or tablets, videos, or MP3 players (I’m really dating myself) – we all agreed those were the most cherished parts of growing up.  The destinations, of course – but also the journey there:  Stopping at hole-in-the-wall cafes/dives, using our creativity to invent games, spotting license plates from other states (still can’t believe we saw Hawaii one time), and praying feverishly that the hotel had anything that resembled a swimming pool.

Fast-forward to the present day.  As we occasionally reflect and discuss our favorite memories as a family – the majority of conversations hover around vacations, the experiences we’ve encountered, the “unique” individuals that crossed our paths (usually resulting in deep belly laughter), and the eager anticipation for our next trip.

However, most of these memories come at a price beyond the trip.  Confession time (gulp). Like the typical American consumer featured in some statistical chart somewhere – many of our trips have been funded by credit cards.  I would love to live on cash only as many books, seminars, and financial experts proclaim.  Excuse time:  Our vehicles break down, we enjoy eating out, there are medical expenses, holidays and birthdays, outdated appliances stop working, we usually always need some type of new clothing, home repairs, helping our kids obtain financial independency. I know, I know – it’s called Life.

Like the majority of families, we try to save.  But something seems to always come up that drains the “emergency” fund.  I’m reminded of this obscure verse in the book of Haggai:  “. . . and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” (Haggai 1: 6b)

So . . . thinking about the quote in the picture and your own experiences – what is your opinion?  Is there a way to save for a vacation beyond hopefully receiving a tax refund check?  Only go if you have the cash?  Charge it now, pay later?  What about the opening scenes from the movie Up where Mr. & Mrs Fredricksen never got to take the trip of their dreams because things were always breaking down?  Are you willing to work a year or two extra to pay off credit cards?  Please compare and contrast the two verses below:

“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.  You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”  James 4: 14

Final thought:  It seems like yesterday we were signing paperwork for daycare. It goes so fast with the kids – I personally want to experience as much as possible now, even if it means I have to pay for it later. In reflection, my favorite trip was going to Italy with my wife a few years ago. It was funded by partial savings, airline travel benefits, and credit cards.

I’m just curious – there are no right or wrong answers. What say you?  Please comment below . . .

Blessings,

Dave 

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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When Second Place Isn’t So Bad . . .

Posted on May 30, 2023 by David Rische

There is an individual in the Bible that didn’t showcase his life. He didn’t assert his authority as mightily as he could have. He went about his business with a quiet confidence. He had a tight relationship with God the Father. He did miracles like feeding thousands, raising a dead man to life, and calling upon angelic armies. . . . . . . I’m talking about . . . . . . . of course . . . . . you know him . . . it’s Elisha The Prophet! (C’mon, admit it – you thought it was Jesus!) 🙂

I had heard about Elisha, but I really didn’t know a lot about him. His predecessor and mentor, Elijah, was one of the most famous prophets in Israel’s history. Elijah was right up there with Moses. If you read Elijah’s story from 1st Kings chapter 17 to 2nd Kings chapter 2 – you can see the dynamic life he lived: Individually taking on the wicked King Ahab, miraculously calling down fire from heaven, clearly hearing the voice of God, being fed in the wilderness by ravens, and ending his life by riding a chariot into heaven!

So why focus on the next guy, Elisha? Wasn’t he in a way, second place? That’s what is great about God – He can use anyone, anywhere, at anytime for His purposes. Maybe you and I feel like second place sometimes? Didn’t get the promotion, overlooked for a social event, taking the place of someone larger than life, unanswered prayers, and feel like we’re not making much of an impact in a world going bonkers?

I wanted to focus on a three part series featuring Elisha and some incredible and possibly overlooked events in his life:

1) Clearly seeing an angelic army as if were a common, ordinary occurance.

2) Completely reversing the law of physics to help out one man.

3) He tested and challenged a king – and unfortunately, the king failed the test (would you and I also?).

My hope is that by the end of this series – that we might see ourselves in the common, ordinary, and not so exciting events in our own lives. And realize that we have a God that is at work 24/7 (the Bible says He never sleeps – try wrapping your head around that concept), loves us, and wants to use us to further His Kingdom wherever we have been planted. Let’s get started!

Clearly Seeing The Angelic

The entire story is found in 2 Kings Chapter 6: 8 – 23. Please read when you have a free moment to get the context. At this time in history – God’s people and land were divided between Israel and Judah. A large army called The Aramean Raiders were continually trying to attack and overcome Israel. They especially wanted to destroy Elisha the Prophet. The king of Aram (short for Aramean) found out through spies that Elisha was staying in a small town named Dothan. Here is the highlight reel from the story:

“Go and find out where Elisha is,” the King of Aram commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.

When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of FIRE (2 Kings 6:12-17).

Three points stand out when we take a close look at this passage.

  1. Things are not as they seem. It is hard for us to comprehend that there is an entire realm going on beyond what we can see with our eyes. Science fiction does visualize this in shows like Stranger Things, classic movies like The Matrix, and the currently popular Multi-Verse themes in super hero movies and comics. The Apostle Paul wrote about this phenomenon in his book to the Ephesian way back around A.D. 60. He writes: A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-12) Elisha’s servant saw an enemy army. But he didn’t see the evil forces ultimately empowering it. Elisha saw the enemy army, but because of his tight relationship with God – he also saw the larger angelic force that God provided to counter attack. Let our prayer be: “God, please help us to see the spiritual and your power in spite of what we can only see in front of us now.”
  2. The spiritual realm is weightier and mightier than the physical realm. The spiritual realm is supernatural, the physical realm is natural. The spiritual realm is built upon faith in the unseen, the physical realm is highly visual. The spiritual realm is eternal, the physical realm is temporary. Had any of us been there that day – we probably would have immediately panicked at the sight of enemy troops, horses, and chariots as far as the eye can see. The Apostle Paul also addresses this phenomenon in the book of 2nd Corinthians: We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10: 3-5). In God’s Kingdom, our weapons are prayer, serving, worship, fasting, giving, and reading The Bible. At first, those don’t sound like very powerful or exciting weapons. Usually when we do one or two of these practices – we don’t see any immediate changes or results. That can be challenging when we live in an instantaneous, “Amazon Prime” society. However, they are eternal, they are given by God, and we live by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7 – Paul again – he was on to something!)
  3. During challenges in life – do we go to ourselves, others, or God? I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve had many times in my life when I make a decision, take whatever action to do it – and then remember, “Oh yeah, I’d better pray about this.” The disciple, Matthew, wrote about Jesus’ perspective on worry and eliminating God from the equation: Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all of your worries add a single moment to your life? . . . Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6: 26-33). We have a God that obviously cares about world events and evil armies that are poised to attack. But we also have a God that cares about flat tires, a child’s scraped knee, when we get rejected by our peers, the big exam coming up, and when we’re down to $5 in our bank account.

Conclusion – In a world that is speeding up faster by the second – maybe we can follow Elisha’s example and be counter-intuitive? We can choose to invite God into every area of our lives – asking Him: “What do you want for me in this situation?” Also, “God – please help me to see this through your eyes.” We can trust in faith that there are angels (fueled by our prayers) fighting battles that we have no idea about. And finally, we can be confident that even if circumstances make it look like we’re not having any impact or making a difference – God has enough room in His heart and His plans to see us as #1. So . . . be on the lookout for . . . chariots of fire!

Blessings,

Dave

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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The Unreachable Lighthouse (reboot)

Posted on April 20, 2023 by David Rische

This post was originally written in November of 2021. However, recently I heard an interview with Dr. Drew Pinsky. He has worked for decades with celebrities, professional athletes, business and corporate executives. Most of his patients have one particular trait in common – they are all intensively unhappy. Even though they have achieved the pinnacle of success and reached the top in their areas of expertise. Many of them are severely depressed and addicts. In an overgeneralization, Dr. Drew summarizes that a lot of the root cause of their problems stem from unresolved early childhood trauma, complete self-absorption and narcissism, and the reaching of a lofty goal – and then they are lost as to what to do next. The post below offers some insight from another interview to help answer the dilemmas: What do we do when we’ve reached a major or minor goal in our lives? How do we stay “hungry” in life so we don’t end up with the symptoms that Dr. Drew’s patients have?

Doesn’t it seem like simmering anger is the major emotion many of us are feeling? Even watching the daily news for a few minutes – someone or a group who is upset or angry is featured – and then I get angry watching it. I won’t even mention driving somewhere. Lord knows I need to work on my potty mouth when I’m cut off, tailed aggressively, or almost get hit by someone looking at their phone.

Enough about anger – I can sense you’re getting fired up 🙂 Let’s flip it and go on the opposite side – the emotion of happiness. This is another interesting set of feelings to take a look at. Speaking broadly and generally, it seems most people are struggling with happiness. One obvious reason is the amount of loss of health, lives, businesses, and way of living brought on by the global pandemic.

Let’s flip the script one more time. Why does it seem so many people that have been blessed with so much seem unhappy? Stretching our minds – we can think of people in politics, business, sports, entertainment, or people that we know personally – they just seem to be missing something. Besides having faith in something or someone greater than themselves – what else are they missing?

Recently, I believe I heard a great explanation on a podcast interview with a man named Dean Graziosi (The Ed Mylett Podcast October 12, 2021) that gave amazing insight into this reality. I had never heard of Dean – but the title intrigued me: “Succeed with Happiness and Confidence.” Skeptical at first. Thinking this just another multi-millionaire trying to sway us common folk into buying his product and then we’ll all be rich! I couldn’t have been further from the truth. Dean grew up in poverty. At one point, he worked 20 hour workdays to build a business while his buddies were busy partying and having fun. Now he has the goal of “impacting over 100 million people” with his trainings, charities, and philanthropy. Here is a paraphrase of his answer when Ed asked him, “Why are so many people unhappy right now? Especially, “those that have achieved some level of ‘success’ in their particular field?” Dean’s answer:

Success with money, power, and possessions – but without fulfillment and happiness, equals shallow living. Some people think that they have everything they want – but they are still unhappy. Here’s what I believe the reason is. I think unhappy people have stopped stretching themselves. They’ve arrived at their goals and stopped. Or, they were not able to accomplish their goals and gave up. Either way, they’ve stopped personally growing.

Imagine a lighthouse representing any goal you are seeking to accomplish. Well, let’s say you met the goal and now you are in your mind standing next to the lighthouse. Most people stay there. They arrive at whatever destination they had in their minds and stop. They stop striving, problem solving, struggling, and fighting. Yes, that leads to a more “peaceful” life – but does it really?

What if the lighthouse kept moving every time you reached it? What if it continued to stay in the distance? That would keep us hungry and not satisfied – because there is still work to be done. And ultimately, the journey would hopefully lead us to being others centered instead of seeking non-stop self fulfillment, comfort, and pleasure.

An interesting mindshift twist that we can apply to any area of our lives. Here are some examples of keeping the lighthouse in the distance:

  1. Finances – Pretending that we don’t have any money in the bank, checking, or savings.
  2. Marriage – Seeing the relationship as we are just starting to date and I’m trying to win her over.
  3. Health – You’ve just been given a dreadful diagnosis by your doctor – and the remedy is to clean up your eating and start exercising consistently.
  4. Work – Imagine you’re on a one year contract, and the bosses have to decide whether to keep you or not.
  5. Faith – You’ve just discovered God for the first time – what would reading the Bible, serving, and worship look like?
  6. School – If you don’t get high grades and put in the effort – your alternative choice will be working 14 hour days in a coal mine.

The secret is: How can we become a better version of ourselves in EVERY area of our lives? How can we serve people at the highest level to impact the world? Even though we will never arrive at the final goal – we will continue to grow and not get stuck at complacency, mediocrity, and according to Dean’s theory – ongoing unhappiness.

Give it a try for a few days. Move those lighthouses out into the distant horizon. And if you make it to one – move it again!

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1)

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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What To Do While We’re Waiting . . .

Posted on March 25, 2023 by David Rische

Possibly, what could be the greatest event in history – we have no idea when it will happen. . . I’m referring to The Rapture – when Jesus Christ meets all believers in the air to spend eternity with Him. Check out 1st Thessalonians 4: 16-18 for a condensed description. Jesus said there would be obvious signs (see Matthew 24), but he also mentioned that ,“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24: 42)

So the question becomes: What do we do while we’re waiting for this event? Buy a cabin in the foothills of Montana (plus a shotgun and reliable hound)? Stock up our food pantries with toilet paper and granola bars? Set up our homes with traps against bad guys like Kevin did in Home Alone??? Okay, I’ve tried all of these and they don’t work 🙂

One thing every single person can do is to continue growing. Seriously, that’s it? Yes! If we look at the last book of the Bible, Revelation – we see that Jesus’s words fill the first 3 chapters. And then if we go to the last chapter, He ends with: “Yes, I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22: 20) Anyway, back to the first 3 chapters. He has 7 distinct messages for 7 unique churches. Messages that still can be applied to us today.

In Revelation 2, verse 19 Jesus says, “I know all the things you do. . . And I can see your constant improvement in all of these things.” Constant improvement equals growth. Well, what are the “things” he is talking about? I left them out on purpose. Jesus mentions 4 key areas to keep growing in: “I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance.” Here’s the deal: There is an easy way and a hard way to grow in each of the 4 areas.

  1. Love – The easy way = Loving family, friends, cool people and nice people. The hard way = Loving annoying people, rude people, needy people, and creepy people (as author Bob Goff says, “Love the creepiest person you come in contact with every day.”)
  2. Faith – The easy way = Listening to a motivating sermon, praying for myself and family, reading the Bible. The hard way = Having no idea how a situation is going to turn out and completely trusting God. Letting go of control of people and things. Giving financially when the money just isn’t there.
  3. Service – The easy way = Telling someone I’ll pray for them (and then forgetting). Helping someone out if it fits into my schedule. The hard way = Helping someone when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. Committing to volunteer at a charity or church – especially in the spots that are largely avoided.
  4. Patient Endurance – The easy way = standing in line at Kroger (or any other store) patiently because they are understaffed. The hard way = Praying to God desperately and you see the situation getting worse – or it seems the prayer is going unheard or unanswered. And most of all – waiting and wondering when His Son will be returning . . .

Conclusion: There it is. That should keep us busy until He returns for us. One final word from Jesus found in that chapter. “I will ask nothing more of you except that you hold tightly to what you have until I come.” (Revelation 2: 24) Hold tight. Keep fighting, hoping, praying, watching and waiting. And of course – keep growing in love, faith, service, and patient endurance. Oh yes, I almost forgot – don’t be a creepy person that someone has to love! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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What To Do When Your Anxiety Is Off The Charts . . .

Posted on February 27, 2023 by David Rische

Doesn’t is seem like there is always something to be worried about? If not in our personal lives – then one quick look at the news highlights can fuel our angst rapidly? I read a study by Harvard Business Review showing that “Anxiety is the #1 Mental Illness and affects over 40 million Americans.” One of the tragedies of the study is that it was published back in May of 2020. What would the number be today???

That is why I love the title of the book, Worried About Everything Because I Pray About Nothing. One day I was randomly listening to a podcast and the guest was the author, Chad Veach. Never heard of him. His interview was so intriguing – I had to rush out and get the book (okay, my library had it available for free).

Chad’s foundational principle is that we should pray, turn things over to God, and pray some more until we reach some level of inner peace. In his own words, “Pray yourself to peace.” Worry, anxiety, and “fixing it” are usually our default modes. I had a fairly intense encounter with an angry “client” last week. It all turned out okay. After reflecting – I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t pray before, during, or after that encounter. Was I anxious? Yes. Was I worried? Yes. Did I pray? No.

Here are some of the key scripture verses from the book:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. (Philippians 4: 6-7)

You (God) will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26: 3)

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. (2 Thessalonians 3: 16)

“I (Jesus) am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give . . . “ (John 14: 27)

So if The Bible is true (it is!) – then perfect peace, God’s peace we can’t understand, and peace at all times and in every situation are attainable? Sign me up for this program! That’s the tricky part. It takes some effort, intentionality, and time on our parts. “Pray about everything” is the revealed secret. And it goes to a whole new level when my prayers stop being so “me” focused and they shift to others needs (and praying about world events instead of worrying or being angry about them). Here are are a few quotes that stood out to me from the book. Actually, they stood out because they were 1/2 inspiring and 1/2 “Ouch!”:

“Don’t ask God to guide your steps if you’re not ready to get off the couch.”

“It is easier to pray about things than to actually put in the work to fix them.”

“Crazy thought: Our prayers can move the hand of God.”

“Prayer is relational and not transactional.”

“What do you give a God that has everything??? . . . . . We give him more of ourselves!”

Conclusion: How about we give this a try? The next time something happens that leads our thoughts to worry, anxiety, and stress – what would happen if they first thing we did was stop and pray? It can be silent, swift, and imperfect. What would it be like if we started the habit of “praying yourself to peace”? And finally, what if our lives reflected flipping the title of this book? Worried About Nothing Because I Pray About Everything . . .

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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A New Year’s Resolution in One Day!

Posted on January 19, 2023 by David Rische

January 1, 2023 has come and gone. Hopefully you’re still holding on tightly to your resolutions, goals, new habits, “one word”, and gym memberships. Those are all great things. The challenge as we all know is sustaining them for the long haul. My weak resolution of “eating healthier” is already starting to fizzle as I find myself chomping down a Double Double with fries from In and Out Burger debating internally whether to top off this dopamine hit with a quick trip to Andy’s Frozen Custard. . .

I’d like to share something I discovered that I believe is better than a New Year’s Resolution. How would you like to substantially grow mentally, physically, and spiritually – in one day???

Recently I listened to a podcast interviewing a guy named Colin O’ Brady. Never heard of him – but I was immediately drawn in and intrigued as his life highlights were shared. Colin is an extreme adventurer and explorer. He has climbed Mount Everest (plus every other major mountain in the world). He pulled a 375 pound sled across Antarctica by himself, and he has scaled all of the highest points in each of the 50 states in a 3 week time span!

So . . . I wanted to share with you about his “Antarctica Challenge for The Common Folk”. Totally joking! Colin has written a book called The 12 Hour Walk. The title speaks for itself. He asks that you set aside one day to walk for 12 hours. Why? From his website he states:

“A new mindset. A life-changing experience. An opportunity to grow.”

“The 12-Hour Walk was developed as a one day prescription to eliminate your limiting beliefs and prove to you that you have the power to shift to a Possible Mindset™ to achieve anything.”

It is simple to get started:

  1. Go to http://www.12hourwalk.com/commit to read the basic info, FAQs, and to sign up!
  2. It’s free, you don’t need to train, and you can walk as little or as much distance as you’d like.
  3. You can download the free app to track your progress. You also are allowed to take rest breaks and eat prepacked meals or snacks.
  4. Phones can be set on airplane mode to not disturb you during your walk. It’s a good practice to let 1-2 people know your route beforehand.
  5. On the day of your walk (I used a backpack) – don’t forget sunscreen, water, proper clothing, sunglasses, a little cash, ID, and a hat (plus, I brought along my stun gun flashlight jusssssst in case . . . ). Plus, pen and paper to record thoughts.

Reasons why you’ll try to convince yourself not to do it:

  1. I don’t have time for this.
  2. Others questioning: Why are you doing this?
  3. I’m not in good enough shape. Plus, I’m tired all the time.
  4. I don’t need this. I’m fine.

Those are all valid reasons. My encouragement is to step out of your comfort zone and give it a try. Simply detoxing from your phone for 12 hours is worth it alone. Do you want 2023 to be different than 2022? The 12 Hour Walk is a tremendous way to usher in the new year with potential for new breakthroughs. Last night, I heard a pastor say the familiar quote, “To get to where you’ve always wanted to be – you have to do things that you’ve never done before!”

My experience highlights:

  1. I left at 5:30 am – so it was incredibly peaceful and quiet with very little noise from cars.
  2. I was able to watch the sunrise from a “coaches tower” on one of the soccer fields. The entire walk helped me slow down and see the beauty and details I would normally rush past.
  3. In Bear Creek Park – I discovered memorials to a 16 year old who died of cancer and an 18 year old who also died too young. Plus I came upon a “Rock Art Path” that I never knew existed.
  4. Near our town hall – I took time at a war memorial to reflect and give thanks over those that historically made the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their lives so we can be free.
  5. I saw the most colorful, beautiful cardinal I’d ever seen during my entire life (I believe was a “wink” from God – he knows that’s my favorite bird).
  6. Forgotten memories flooded my mind as I walked past 2 schools I have worked at in the past and multiple parks we used to take the kids to when they were young. Because of the large block of time – I was able to think, pray, plan, reflect, and clear my mind.
  7. I stopped at a QT to use the restroom. I was sitting outside on the curb in the shade. Still had 5 hours left – was in crummy clothing, sweating profusely, starting to tire, had my backpack by my side, and overall looked quite ragged. A gentleman got out of his parked car and approached me saying, “Sir . . . do you need any help?” He thought I was homeless. I replied, “Believe or not – this was planned!” 🙂
  8. I did not miss my phone or my constant gazing at it for sports, texts, news, emails, politics, alerts, social media, “likes”, entertainment, end times events, blah, blah, blah.
  9. And finally, I was challenged physically and mentally wanting to quit – but I pushed myself to the end. My initial goal was to walk 8 – 10 miles. I ended up with 18 miles!!! The longest I have ever walked 🙂

My challenge highlights:

  1. Initial impatience. Confession: The first time I checked the timer – only 10 minutes had passed! “Are we there yet?” 🙂
  2. Negative voices in my head when I began: “You could be at home in bed right now.” “You don’t have time for this.” “You’re missing all the NFL action today.” “This is stupid.” “What if you get injured or abducted?”
  3. Multiple times I wanted to quit and call one of family members to come pick me up.
  4. It was an exceptionally warm day with no cloud coverage. I guess that is better than it being frigid and windy?
  5. I did get lost in a fancy neighborhood at one point (you’re not allowed to use GPS technology). The homes were so high I couldn’t see for any decent length of distance. And I kept running into cul-de-sacs when I thought I had finally found the exit point. But hey, wandering aimlessly for about an hour increased my mileage total!
  6. I’ve battled MS for over 15 years. One of my symptoms is continual pain in my right thigh and heel because of past nerve damage. I was in increased pain and limping for about 3 days after the walk. But the limping went away!

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

Conclusion: So what say you? My challenge to you is to give the 12 hour walk a shot. Or, what is something else you can do that you’ve never done that will stretch you out of your comfort zone? Running or walking in a marathon, volunteering at church, starting a non-profit, self-publishing a book, speaking up where you are normally silent, reading replacing some screen time, creating art, starting a side-hustle business, going back to college, attempting a new sport, giving radically to a cause you believe in . . .

Please let me know in the comments here or through email: david.rische@gmail.com if you take on the 12 hour walk. Or, please share something else new that you’ve done or doing to grow physically, mentally, or spiritually.

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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What Will The Next Christmas Look Like?

Posted on December 17, 2022 by David Rische

P.S. – A rough “draft” copy may have been sent earlier by mistake if you are a subscriber. Oops!

As you probably have noticed – this is the most wonderful time of the year when we turn our attention and reflect on Jesus coming to the earth as a baby over 2000 years ago. Gifts are exchanged, happy music is playing, and sugar laced treats are in abundance.

What about the next time Jesus visits the earth? What will that look like? The definition of the word Christmas involves the birth of Jesus and the celebration of him coming to the earth. I’m using artistic liberty to refer to his return to be with us again as “The Next Christmas”. In the book of Acts he and his angels gave some parting words to his followers to encourage them that he would be returning someday:

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses telling people about me everywhere . . . “ (Acts 1: 6-8).

After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts 1: 9-10).

Someday he will return from heaven . . . The Next Christmas! So the next coming of Jesus will be much different than the first featuring Mary and Joseph, the manger, the shepherds, angels singing, and the wise men. As the angels declared – this reuniting with him will occur in the sky or heavenly realms. The apostle Paul provides us with this preview in 1st Thessalonians 4: 15-18:

We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. We will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

Meet the Lord in the air . . . We will be with the Lord forever . . . The Next Christmas!

The burning questions of the ages remains: When will this Next Christmas happen? When will be the “someday” that the angels told his followers? Are there any signs to look out for? Please read the entire chapter of Matthew 24 to get the full context of Jesus’s explanation. However, some clear signs that he mentioned are fresh out of today’s headlines:

Wars and rumors of war, pestilence and famines, earthquakes in various places, and people divided against one another with intense hatred. The frustrating part is we can’t control these major events in the news. However, Jesus did give us advice on 3 areas that we can personally control and guard our hearts until he returns:

Beware of deception.

Being prepared at all times.

Not clinging to or being stuck in the past.

  1. Beware of deception – Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many“ (Matthew 24: 4, 5). This warning goes much deeper than the surface level of an egomaniac person in power or crazed dictator claiming they can save the people and the world without God. The tricky thing about deception is that . . . it can be so deceitful. Anyone or anything can become a “Messiah” or a “Savior” that we look to for relief and prioritize besides God – people, money, jobs, politicians, hobbies, vacations, habits that lead to addictions, pursuing comfort and pleasure above all else – the list is endless. Maybe that is what Jesus meant when he used the phrase “many will come”?
  2. Be prepared at all times – “However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows . . . You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected (Matthew 24: 36, 44). He could return as you’re reading this – or he could return 100 years from now. We have an enemy, the devil, that wants us to keep thinking that we don’t need to be concerned right now about where we are in our walk with God. He sneakily whispers, “Jesus isn’t coming back any time soon, if at all. Why don’t you pursue the ‘good life’ now? You deserve it. Isn’t God holding out on you with all these rules and restrictions?” Again, deceit creeps in. It is a slow falling away that the Bible describes in many of its books. On a personal level – it is so much easier for me to watch church online instead of going in person. Then, it gets easy for me to skip online services because, “I’ll get caught up next week due to this week’s busy schedule.” And I missed my Bible time and prayer because I’ve got to get my fantasy football lineup ready for the playoffs and check in on how many “likes” that funny video I posted got . . . Down the rabbit hole of distraction I go. Maybe you can relate? Author John Eldredge skillfully puts this phenomenon into words in his book Resilient, “Satan is much cleverer than all that. I believe what we will see – what is happening now – is simply people giving up on God in large numbers.” (pg. 47). Which starts with us making those small choices that lead to unpreparedness.
  3. Not clinging to or being stuck in the past – The book of Luke, chapter 17 starting at verse 20 is another recorded discussion regarding Jesus’ next return. He gives this warning, “Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed . . . Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.” (Luke 17: 30, 32, 33). What happened to Lot’s wife? Way back in Genesis chapter 19 – she and her family were fleeing their evil city that was being destroyed by God. Lot and his family had been warned by God’s angel to leave as quickly as possible and not look back. Well . . Lot’s wife decided to ignore the warning and looked back. She instantly was turned into a pillar of salt. It’s easy to see ourselves in what Lot’s wife did – no way can I point a finger of judgement at her. Maybe her thoughts were . . . “I want to go back to the way things were . . . Can’t things be normal and good again? . . . Just a quick glance to see what I’m missing out on . . . Sure, God says ________, but that applies to everyone but me . . . “

Conclusion – So after that ‘gloom and doom’ message – what do we do? 🙂 Remember, Paul said to “Encourage each other with these words”. It really is a happy and hopeful message when we take a closer look. The Next Christmas we will be able to experience what all those at the manger scene experienced, plus so much more. Being in the physical presence of the Savior of the Universe. Forever. A new heaven and a new earth. The restoration of Eden and evil banished for good. Perfected, spiritual, and always healthy bodies and minds.

And finally, a reminder that God gave the greatest gift of all to provide us a way out of the current deception and upcoming destruction:

“For God so love the world (me, you, and all humanity) that he gave (the ultimate Christmas gift) his only Son – that whoever believes in him (trusts and puts faith in, relies upon, follows) would not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Don’t quit now . . . the finish line is just over the next hill . . . Christmas is coming . . .

Blessings AND Merry Christmas!

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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It’s Thanksgiving time . . . but what about ________?

Posted on November 19, 2022 by David Rische

Last Monday was rough. Out of nowhere – a small colony of ants decided to invade our food pantry. Our washing machine wouldn’t stop flowing water – so it needed several hundred dollars to repair (then it broke down again with a new problem so it will be replaced). In the Kroger parking lot while I was in the store – someone scraped my vehicle with theirs leaving chipped paint on the bumper and ugly white marks. Student behavior at work is unlike anything we’ve seen in the last 5 years. I could go on and on – but then there’s perspective. You probably have your list of things too. And I’ll bet they are equal to or worse than mine.

Perspective. The Bible says to “Give thanks in all circumstances . . .” (1 Thessalonians 5:18) How do we give thanks when things keep breaking down without any relief? We ponder – could we please catch an extended break from the problems, hassles, and trials that life continues to throw at us?

Recently I heard an interview with Josh Peck, who was a childhood actor of the hit show Drake and Josh several years ago. Unfortunately, he went the familiar route of struggles being connected with fame and riches as a young star. Josh discusses his battles with self confidence, addiction, and depression. Fortunately, he was able to come out of it. I’m paraphrasing, but during the interview he said something to the effect of:

“The majority of our problems are the results of our luxuries.” Hmm . . . Perspective.

Ants in the pantry . . . I have a pantry with food stored in it. Unlike millions in this world.

Washing machine broke . . . I can wash my clothes in a machine instead of a pond or river.

Damage on my bumper . . . I have a vehicle to drive instead of walking or riding a bike everywhere.

Student behavior at work . . . I have a job and a steady paycheck in this unpredictable economy.

Try this with your struggles. Yes, there are things that we can’t figure out how to be thankful for: death of a loved one, exploited children, poverty, violent crime, global wars, etc. But there are some things that we can shift our viewpoint on. Author Jon Gordon states, “You cannot be thankful and stressed at the same time.” His advice is to flood our minds and vocabulary with positive, hopeful, and thankful statements to help offset the negative.

One more example. I was hesitant to share this – it’s pretty intense. However, it has helped me every time I start drifting towards being ungrateful, asking “Why me?” – or feeling frustrated when things keep breaking down. This story comes from professional photographer Lisa Kristine. For more than 25 years she has traveled the most hidden parts of the world to capture the beauty and expose the hardships of indigenous peoples. This is her horrific description of visiting one of the illegal brick kilns in India:

“This strange and awesome sight was like walking into ancient Egypt or Dante’s Inferno. Enveloped in temperatures of 130 degrees, men, women, children, entire families in fact, were cloaked in a heavy blanket of dust, while mechanically stacking bricks on their head, up to 18 at a time, and carrying them from the scorching kilns to trucks hundreds of yards away. Deadened by monotony and exhaustion, they work silently, doing this task over and over for 16 or 17 hours a day. There were no breaks for food, no water breaks, and the severe dehydration made urinating pretty much inconsequential. So pervasive was the heat and dust that my camera became too hot to even touch and ceased working. Every 20 minutes, I’d have to run back to our cruiser to clean out my gear and run it under an air conditioner to revive it, and as I sat there, I thought, my camera is getting far better treatment than these people . . . “

Perspective.

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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You Are Enough! (reboot)

Posted on October 29, 2022 by David Rische

When was the last time you heard the phrase in the subject line? Perhaps a few times during your life, maybe never?

You are enough, right now, exactly who you are, exactly what you are doing.

You see, we are continually bombarded with the message that we’re not enough!
We’re not fit enough. We’re not good looking enough. We’re not wealthy enough. We’re not enough in our careers – we should be so much further along. We’re not as good of parents as the people on Facebook are. We’re not enough as a partner or spouse as the people on Instagram are. We’re not as educated as the people on Twitter are. We’re not as creative and cool as those making Tik Tok videos. We don’t volunteer or give enough. We’re not enough staying at home, we should be out there working and contributing. We don’t travel or do fun things enough. And on and on it goes.

It has been often said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Another powerful quote on comparison to reflect on: “Don’t compare your chapter 2 with someone else’s chapter 8 . . .”

What would happen if we started to truly believe from the depths of our soul that we are enough, today, right where we are? What if we stopped looking at social media and celebrities for the standard of how we should look and live? Yes – we can be a better version tomorrow and be committed to growth and personal development. But let’s just focus on today – because it is our only guarantee.

You are enough physically:  “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made . . .” (Psalm 139:14)

You are enough in your career – or if you stay at home or are in school or are retired: “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 a future and a hope . . .” (Jeremiah 29:11)

You are enough financially: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

You are enough as a parent, spouse, partner, or friend: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)

You are enough in your relationship with God: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
Here’s the big one for me: “If God is for us – who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

So start telling yourself, “I am enough” when you feel you aren’t. Like all habits, this will take time to sink into your mind. When comparison, inadequacies, and envy rear their ugly heads, simply reply with, “I am enough!” “I will improve – but for today I am enough!”

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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Combating Anxiety Victoriously . . .

Posted on September 21, 2022 by David Rische

Multiple studies I recently researched all confirm that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the United States. In fact, anxiety disorders were also number one before the global pandemic hit in 2020. So what do we do? Suffer in silence? Just get over it? Feel like a “burden” or a “downer” when we open up to others? Another challenge is finding a quality therapist without a month’s long waiting list – or someone who will accept our insurance.

Here are some practices that we can start today:

  1. Saturating our minds with God’s Word. Wait a minute. We’ve heard this one before. That sounds like cliched advice. Sometimes this can be difficult when we read certain verses and wonder – How am I supposed to do that???

Be anxious for nothing . . . (Philippians 4:6)

Don’t worry about tomorrow . . . (Matthew 6:34)

Cast all your cares on God . . . (Psalm 55:22)

“God, I want to do all of those things – but I just can’t right now! I’m exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically.” That’s the secret – we cannot do it. That’s what makes our faith special – we have to have supernatural intervention, power, and peace beyond our own strength. We cannot “pull up our bootstraps”, “suck it up”, “get our act together” – especially during these times of chaos on the human soul. As author Lysa Terkeurst states, “No human should have to carry the weight of being their own god, but so many do.”

Maybe it is a yearly Bible plan. Maybe a chapter a day. Maybe even a sentence a day. Writing a verse on a sticky note and looking at it multiple times. Figure out what works for you and stay with it. If you miss a day or two or more – it’s all right. God will still be there waiting anxiously to meet with you. And that is the good kind of anxious.

2. Making small choices that bring you life, joy, and health. In June of 2022 – I was able to take a brief, but restorative trip to Seattle. Many of my co-workers and friends traveled all over the U.S. – some even to other countries. I love to travel – it is one of my favorite hobbies. The challenge is those trips are only temporary escapes. We come back to loaded schedules, kids needs, bills, busy households, empty households, vehicle and household repairs, illnesses, and on and on and on. Seattle wasn’t enough. Trips to Disneyworld and Europe don’t help us get through Monday mornings or days we feel exhausted for no particular reason. Carnival Cruise memories won’t help my grocery, medical, and gas bills.

Again, to quote Lysa Terkeurst as she worked through marriage infidelity and a cancer diagnosis at the same time: “I went to bed that night seriously contemplating running away to Montana to hide from my life. I could be a waitress in a breakfast diner. I had been a waitress when I was in my early twenties and loved it. Life was simpler then. Serving up plates of bacon and eggs and toast sounded so appealing. But cancer would follow me. The hurt would follow me. And even wrestling with whether or not I could trust God would certainly follow me whether I moved to Montana or just crawled in a hole somewhere.”

I think we can all relate. “If I just lived in Italy and my job was simply to take care of a vineyard. What if I worked on a cruise ship and ran a small sovenier shop? Or what if my wife and I had a small hut off the coast of Belize selling coconut milk to the locals – then I wouldn’t have any problems? Or, this could help me escape my current ones???”

Somehow we need to make daily choices doing the things that bring us restoration. A few weeks ago I was in a “funk”. I took a nap. Watched a rerun of Seinfeld. Played with my dog. Cleaned a stack of dishes I was avoiding while cranking The Who. I read a little. Watched a rerun of 24. All of that got me out of my funk. This prescription probably wouldn’t work for you. Find those things that bring you joy and life – and make sure you tap into it preferably multiple times every day. Some enjoy intense exercise. Some enjoy chilling on the couch. Maybe it is cooking, gardening, reading, prayer, silence, loudness. However you’re uniquely wired – fill that tank every day. Even if your filling is only 5 minutes. We’ve all been running on fumes for too long.

The trick is to take stress and anxiety and flip the script on them. Using them to build resilience, perseverance, grit, and feeling proud with each challenge we overcome. Then those two vices lose their grip on our hearts. As podcaster Ed Mylett says, “We need some stress and some fear in our lives to keep us on the edge. Otherwise we would be bored and unguarded and soft and foolish.”

I don’t want to be soft and foolish – I want to be jacked and exceptionally wise!!!

However, I was able to find a verse in the Bible that actually spoke positively about anxiety. It is tucked away in 1 Peter 4:2:

You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be ANXIOUS to do the will of God.

So we ARE allowed to be anxious regarding the will of God. What does that look like in real time? More on that next month . . .

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische

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