Taking The High Road

Taking The High Road

Let me first note that this blog is a journal of my faith walk with Christ. The purpose of this entry is not for sympathy. It is to acknowledge that my love belongs to someone much bigger than myself, Lord Jesus Christ.

I have often wondered if there are people out there who often go through some of the same things I do. This past week has hit two extremes. It has been the most heart wrenching, filled with attacks from the devil himself. However, there have also been instances where life couldn’t be any greater.

The devil himself came in hot, dressed in full attack mode. From belittling my faith to presenting me as a very poor Christian example, he spoke ruthless comments of hate. It was a message that I couldn’t believe I received, but then again the devil can take on many forms. He brings us up just to break us down. That’s his nature. He only succeeds if you let him.

When I read through this message, I knew exactly who I was in Christ. It is what God KNOWS about me that is more important that what others THINK about me. Through it all, I trusted God in me. There was no need to prove myself to anyone other than God! I felt, that the only way that I could stand before this was to kneel before God. Therefore, bowing out in prayer isn’t defeat to me; it is taking the high road. Through each struggle comes an important lesson. Sometimes it does speak directly to us; however, other times it doesn't. The important lesson from this experience was that

The last word isn’t important because God knows our hearts. God is with you and better in you! Just let go and let him!

On a high note, I received various emails wanting more writings and video blogs! This is very exciting to me. It proved to me that there are many people out there who appreciate Christ and the love that I have for him. The remarks of one individual will not change my love and appreciation for our LORD! Instead, it will push me to help this individual seek out Christ.

When I often wonder if people encounter the same experiences I do, I realize that we all have our own battles that we are faced with. We all deal with these experiences differently, but it is important that we remain Christ centered through our reactions and responses.

 Blessings.

Christian Cowboy Devotional

Welcome to the first episode of the Christian Cowboy Devotional. The Christian Cowboy Devotional was an idea that I had a few years ago about wanting to show others how cowboys and music artists, who live their life day by day on the road, continue to pursue and even dig deeper into their faith. Always being on the road and constantly away from a home church can affect the spiritual relationship one has with the Lord.  

The Cowboy Christian Devotional will be released each week on Faith Friday. The reason for this is because I feel that there are time throughout the week that we remain steadfast in our relationship with Christ; however, when Friday night rolls around Christ may the last thing on our mind. Temptation during this time of the week can be more prevalent especially when you are traveling between rodeos or shows.

My hope is that the testimonies featured the Christian Cowboy Devotional will not only serve as inspiration but also as motivation. As the Christian Cowboy Devotional continues to grow and evolve, we will be featuring faith stories from your favorite rodeo famous athletes as well as country music artists who are passionate about their relationship with Christ. The featured individuals will be those who have inspired their fans to purse something bigger than themselves and who continue to motivate and challenge others to chase after their dreams. If there is an athlete or artist that you would like to be featured on the Christian Cowboy Devotional, please contact Bobbi LeAnn at bobbilean@live.com. 
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Happy Faith Friday!! 

This week on Faith Friday we are featuring the testimony of Lexi Larsen, the Country Music Association's 2014 Artist to Watch! She was born and raised in the Sandhills of western Nebraska. Lexi speaks about how she came to know Christ as well as how she remains constant in her faith on tour. Check out her testimony on the Christian Cowboy Devotional and let us know what you think!

Blessings! 

Champions Live With An Obsession, They're EXTREME!

Have you ever had an obsession? My obsession from the time I was 6 years old was to be a Country Music Artist.

            Webster’s definition of obsession is “continued dwelling on one idea or emotion without the ability to dispel it.” This described me to a “T” for the first few years of my life. Regardless of where I was or what I was doing, the thought of realizing my dream never left my mind. It was truly an obsession.

            I was willing to stay up late just to practice chords on the guitar, travel long hours to weekly music festivals, sit through band practices that lasted well past my bed time, and playing shows across the state during the school week. It never occurred to me that I should be getting an adequate amount of sleep or that I should be more focused on my schoolwork. None of this mattered because it was my obsession.

            Jesus agreed in Luke 10:27 that eternal life is loving the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. That’s obsession.

“The Wicked is his Pround countenance does not seek God; God is not in all his thoughts,” Maybe you’re saying to yourself, “Does that mean that I don’t have other interests in the world or personal dreams for my life? (Psalms 10:4)

No! Emphatically no! It means that Lord is #1 in your life and HE is now able to bless your life like HE wants to. Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these (things) shall be added unto you.”

            I believe that there is a new breed of men and women in the land that worship God unashamedly. These are people who aren’t afraid of telling others about Jesus. People who fear God more than what others will think or say about them. “Behold, I do a new thing, even now it springs forth, cannot you see it? (Isaiah 43:19)

Since the year 2009, I have been very open about my faith with Christ. It was like a spirit of revival was lit inside of me! Singing praise and worship for my God has never been more exciting. Sharing the Lord’s teaching and hearing the testimonies from others has been the greatest experience yet. Truth is, people are being saved, healed and set free by the power of GOD!

            And yet, some people walk away or criticize me for my love for Christ. The liberty offends them, similar to the days of Jesus. In Matthew 10:34, Jesus said, “ I don’t come to bring peace but a sword.” There is a great dividing coming in the church: those who are unwilling to leave the dead traditions of men and whose who are hungry for change – the out pouring of God’s spirit in their lives. “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.”

God has chosen to use people to spread the gospel-people who have holy obsession-loving, and living for God.

Are you ready to GO FOR IT? Is going to a dead, boring church once a week starting to wear on you? Do you want to See God move in your life? Do you want to see prayers answered? Do you really? Make God your Obsession.

Another word that goes with obsession is extreme. In I Chronicles: 11, The mighty men of Valor were extreme to say the least. I continue to practice my music each day whether that includes writing, playing guitar, or singing. Why? Because not only has music changed my life, it has allowed me to show others Christ.

Being extreme for God and what He has done for you will take you to the top. Let the spirit of humility lead you into an extreme life. Extreme people love extreme, think extreme, live extreme, work extreme, dream extreme, not to their glory, but for the glory of God!

CHAMPIONS LIVE WITH AN OBSESSION: THEY’RE EXTREME – GO FOR IT!!

“Like a deer that pants after water so many soul longs after you.” –Psalms 42:1

Brit Ellerman Testimony

- BRIT ELLERMAN - 

Team Roper and Tie-down Roper for the University of Wyoming

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"You are a once in all history event.” Brit Ellerman is firmly convinced that each person has something unique, and if we don’t show it that is a piece of God that the world will never see. He lives this message each day by making the most of the opportunities God puts in front of him. 

Brit was introduced to roping at an early age. Born into a rodeo family, he was blessed to have a 5 time National Finals Rodeo qualifier for a dad, as well as a mother and sister who rope and love rodeo. His early exposure to the sport has grown into a love and desire to turn pro. 

 He first competed in Junior Rodeo at age 5 and continued practicing and improving as he grew. Brit earned an invitation to a Young Pros roping camp when he was 12. There he met Jeff and Carol Hogner, and his life was forever changed. Not only did they provide excellent roping instruction, they shared the love of Jesus with the participants. Thanks to their faithfulness, Brit began his personal relationship with Christ which has had a domino effect to his family and all he meets. 

The next summer Brit asked the Hogners if he could travel with them. They said yes, and he joined their team of young ropers who loved Jesus in ministering to kids wherever they went. This opened the door for Brit to become comfortable sharing his faith publicly and the important skill of building relationships. 

He continued traveling with Young Pros throughout high school, as well as competing (and winning) roping competitions and playing basketball. He earned a roping scholarship to the University of Wyoming, and is currently in his junior year there. Life was very good and he was sure of the direction he was taking. 

During his sophomore year of college, Brit found that not everything came to him easily. His courses were difficult, he wasn’t winning at roping like he was used to, and he found himself questioning the path he was on. His relationships were suffering too as his thoughts circled around himself and about what he was going to do. 

He was getting down on himself and becoming depressed. As he continued to wonder if he should drop out of college and leave roping, Brit finally sought advice from a Godly friend. He was challenged to consider that just because things were hard, that was not a reason to quit. If God was calling him to something different, that was fine, but giving up because things weren’t going his way? There was more to life and God’s purpose for him than how he was feeling in the struggles of the moment. 

As he continued to search out God and His plans for his life, Brit realized that his identity and purpose were not based on how well he did in the arena or in his classes. He was able to overcome the frustrations and uncertainty through focusing on using the gifts and talents that God had given him to reach out to others. When he took the focus off himself, he regained perspective on people and the world around him. 

Brit’s competitive nature and discipline has driven him to train and excel at whatever he puts his hand to, but he has an additional motivator: doing everything to honor God. On the days when he is tempted to slack off schooling or cut corners in training, he is reminded that he is not doing these things only for himself. He has learned that being ReMade isn’t necessarily a one-time thing. We wake up new each day, with all we need to go through that day.

I Timothy 4:12 (The Message) says: "Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching.” Brit Ellerman personifies this verse. He may be young, but he is bold and lets no one and nothing hold him back. He is ReMade every day, and sharing the unique parts of God in him with the world.

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Champions Know They Must Be Entered

For several years now, rodeo announcers have been using the "cowboy prayer" to start many rodeos across the country.
The prayer reads something like this: "One of these days when we ride into that beautiful land (Heaven) where the water's sweet, the grass green and stirrup high. He (God) will tell us that our entry fees are paid."

It's great knowing that your entry fees are paid, but it does you no good if you didn't call in to enter the rodeo. The Bible says that through Adam's sin all mankind is born into sin, which means separation from God..."All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)..."but...God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life", (John 3:16). God so loved us that he paid our fees by sending Jesus to die for us.

Anyone who has rodeoed knows that if the books close at 12:00 noon and you cal in to enter at 12:01,  you're out of luck. It makes no difference why you called late or the excuse you have to tell the secretary. The Secretary will probably reply, "I'm sorry, the entries have closed, there's nothing I can do for you."

Now the question is, "Have you called on God, received the sacrificed of His son, and made Him your Lord and savior? Is your name in the Lamb's Book Of Life - God's entry sheet?"

The day will come when folks will speak of their excuses... I was a good ol' boy... I helped people and did good works...I was always so busy....

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep oh his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you and since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' The the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for on of the least of theses brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who have cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.'"(Matt.25:31-41) To those who have their name in the entry book, there will be great joy as they enter into eternity. Their entry fees have been paid.

This is the Big one, the daddy of 'em all, bigger than Houston, Calgary, Cheyenne, The National Finals: this is eternity, it's forever. For sure, your entry fees have been paid...but have you entered?

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