Prisoner of Circumstance

Do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to read the first chapter of a great new novel, Prisoner of Circumstance by Nadine Zawacki. You're sure to love it!

Click here for chapter one.

Power of the Written Word

A year ago today I thought I would try something new. A friend of mine had started a blog and it inspired me to explore creativity through the written word. 365 Days, 138 Posts, and 24,560 hits ago Emancipation of the Freed was born.

It has been a challenge to craft posts that are concise, articulate, transparent and inspired. I may have hit the mark on a few... but mostly, I’ve been stretched and it feels good. Hosting Emancipation of the Freed has helped me to grow in an area that was stagnant and made me realize that I really could do what I thought I couldn’t.

Since March 2006 more than 15 members of The Bridge have also started blogs, including my wife. It’s been exhilarating to see the creativity and artistry pour out of them. What an amazing bunch of people, I am extremely blessed.

I guess it’s true with anything - the more you do something the better you get at it. Blogging has helped me to better articulate what I want to say in written form. As a pastor I have many years of experience and many, many opportunities to communicate verbally. (I’ll let others judge if I’ve actually gotten any better at it) but I’ve had relatively few opportunities to communicate in writing. Little did I know how important this would become.

Over the past two years the Lord has blessed me with many supernatural experiences. The ability to record them, quickly and accurately has been critically important to me. The regular practice of writing this blog has helped to hone my abilities for a higher purpose and much to my surprise... it’s been great fun!

I have a feeling that the next 365 days are going to be very exciting, now on to year number two!

© Tom Zawacki 2007

Freedom from Circumstances

“…I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation… I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13

Two years ago, when I was diagnosed with a medically incurable form of Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, my wife and I devised and embraced a personal credo. Together we agreed to:

Enjoy the Good Days
Endure the Bad Days
And Just Keep Going Forward

Although cancer was now a part of my life I did not want it to define my life nor control it. This personal philosophy has helped to keep cancer from taking over our world.

With the help, love and prayers of many loving friends we have endured some pretty bad days and we have continued going forward. To all of you, from the bottom of my heart… thank you!

I’m not there yet but I want to learn, like Saint Paul, to be content in any and every situation. I desire a life of internal peace that is independent of and invulnerable to external circumstances.

Whole heartedly I believe that the freedom Christ won for us provides a life in the Spirit that is not dictated by the body or the soul. Rather the fullness of freedom is found only when the body and soul are subject to the Spirit. Therefore, I really can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. My spirit can soar even when my body can not or my soul will not. Herein lies the secret to overcoming the bad days… but this is not a bad day.

Yesterday was a very good day among a string of very good days and I’m learning to thoroughly enjoy them. Presently, I am enjoying a season of life where I have favor with God and with men and it is wonderful. (Click here for a couple of excellent posts by Madison Richards on the topic of favor & timing.)

Proverbs 16:7 says that

“When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.”

Cancer has been my enemy and for now, we are living in peace. Yesterday my Oncologist read to me the findings of my latest PET scan… “I see no evidence of recurrent lymphoma” Now that’s good news!

Heavenly Father, thank your for your goodness, your kindness and your favor. Thank you for loving friends and for an amazing wife. Thank you for the grace to keep going forward. Thank you for the grace to endure the bad days and thank you for this very good day!

© Tom Zawacki 2007

Art Credit: “Freedom” by Randy Elrod

Animusic

I appreciate creativity and I love music, this is both... enjoy.



For additional Animusic videos go to YouTube and type in "Animusic"

My Visual DNA

This was fun...
(ht: Na, Keith, Jourdan & Lynda)

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Where's Tom?

Dear Friends:

This morning I'm traveling to Vancouver BC. I'll be teaching a Streams Ministries 101 Course with the new Directors of Streams Canada. Please keep me, my family, my church, the class and other instructors in your prayers

Thanks,

Tom

(PS. If you check out my clustrmaps below, you'll see large red dots where I'm getting the most hits. I'd love to know who you are and where you're from. Please leave me a comment and introduce yourself.)