Scriptures: Genesis 1:27, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, John 1:12

The Maker’s Mark

G e n e s i s 1 : 2 7 

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (NLT)

When it comes to quality gear like saddles, spurs, buckles, and bits, all of these have one thing in common: they all have a maker’s mark. What is a maker’s mark? It’s most commonly the maker’s name, brand, or logo that is stamped somewhere on their gear. This is done to show that they are the ones who made the gear and that they are proud of what they’ve made.

This maker’s mark is especially important to cowboys, because in a lot of cases who made the gear is what gives it its value. For example, if you have a bit or pair of spurs with the name Klapper stamped on them, you have something that is fairly valuable. Why? Because the man who made them is none other than the world-renowned bit and spur maker, Billy Klapper. If you have anything made of rawhide by Luis Ortega, you have  something made by  a master. Luis’s mark is the style in which he braids. It’s often referred to as California tradition, and if you know what you’re looking for, you can spot his mark from a mile away. The other interesting thing about having gear made by a master is that, in many cases, it doesn’t matter what condition the gear is in; it still holds its value when it’s made by a master maker. In other words, heavily used gear can still be priceless if it has a maker’s mark from a master in the craft.

If we were being honest, I think we’d all have to admit that we often try to find our value in the things of this world. Things like how well we do our job; how broke our horse is; if we’re married, single, or dating. Or maybe we try to find our value in how well our kids perform in sports, how much money we have, or even how many likes we got on our last social media post. I know for me, I can often search for my value in how many people listen to my talks online, how cool people think my photos are, or how many books I’ve sold. Well, if you haven’t figured it out yet, this is a miserable way to live. Why? Because the world we live in is so fickle—finding our value in what we have, what we’ve accomplished, or what people think about us is so unstable. This is why it’s important to find our value in the one who made us. Who am I speaking of? I’m talking about the Divine Maker, the Master Craftsman of Mankind, the World-Renowned Creator of all things,—GOD ALMIGHTY.

You may be thinking, “Where’s my Maker’s mark? Is it that birthmark on my butt?” No, it’s not. And please don’t ever mention that birthmark on your butt again. The answer is . . . YOU. You are the Maker’s mark. Don’t miss this! Because we were created in the image of God, because we have a soul—because He’s made every one of us unique and one of a kind—we are our Maker’s mark! Every human to walk the face of this earth is given the mark of our Maker at conception, and, because of this, we are our Maker’s most valuable creation.

How do I know? Because God showed us that we are worth more than life itself. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal life.” Did you hear how much He loves you and me? God loved us so much that He allowed His one and only Son, Jesus, to be crucified for our sin. That’s how much God values us. And guess what? He didn’t do that for anything else He created, just for us! You may be reading this and thinking, “Surely God loves those church-going, good people who don’t cuss or chew, or date girls who do, more than He loves me. And surely I have to do something to deserve His mark.” Well, if you’re thinking this, you’re thinking is wrong. God placed His worth on us before we ever deserved it. Romans 5:8 says, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (NLT). This verse tells us that even though we were scarred with sin, used and abused, God saw worth in what He made and proved it by paying the ultimate price—the death of His Son. And unlike the things of this world, when it comes to our value in God’s eyes, our value never changes. Despite what we’ve done or not done, despite how well we’ve performed or not performed, God’s love for you has never changed and never will.

But there’s a catch. I know, I know, you’re thinking, “Crap . . . I knew there had to be a catch!” Well, it’s not what you’re thinking. The catch is that to really under- stand our worth, we must place our trust in our Maker’s Son (i.e. Jesus). John 1:12 says, “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (NLT).

See, although our worth was settled on the cross, God gives us a choice to believe in Him and accept His gift of eternal life. How do we accept this gift? We give our lives to Jesus. It’s only in doing this that we will ever truly find our true worth and personally know our Maker.

C H E W  O N  T H I S 

What do you find yourself trying to find your worth in? How have you let people or things determine your value? Do you feel worthless and beat up today? Why or why not? Have you given your life to Jesus?

P R A Y E R 

Dear Jesus, I’m tired of trying to find my worth in this world. Forgive me for looking anywhere else but you to find my value. I’m accepting your gift of salvation and giving you ownership of my life. Thank you for making me and paying the ultimate price so that I could be saved.

Scripture: Psalms 78:4

The Doc Bar Legacy

P s a l m 7 8 : 4 

We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders. (NLT)

I recently watched a documentary on the famous cutting horse Sire Doc Bar. Foaled in 1956, Doc Bar gave hopes to the Finley Ranch in Arizona of another racing champion. He had the look of a winner and he came from great racing bloodlines. But his racing career proved to be an epic failure after four races with winnings of only ninety-five dollars. Having great conformation and good looks, the owners chose to try him in the halter class. Doc Bar’s conformation and style soon changed what judges looked for in a great halter horse. Out of the fifteen halter horse events that Doc Bar was shown in, he won nine grand championships and one reserve championship. It was at the height of his success in the halter horse industry that his owners decided to retire him and concentrate on Doc Bar’s future as a stud. This began his real legacy as a performance horse sire.

Believing that Doc Bar possessed the traits that could change yet another part of the horse industry, his owners began training Doc Bar’s foals and showing them in the cutting horse events. Doc Bar went on to sire famous offspring such as Doc O’Lena and grand-get Smart Little Lena, among many other great horses. His offspring have become National Cutting Horse Futurity champions, and many have become world champions. His ability to pass on his amazing talent was shown in 1983, when twenty-one out of the twenty-three finalists at the NCHA Futurity carried Doc Bar’s blood. His offspring have gone on to receive tens of millions of dollars in earnings. As  I watched this documentary about this amazing horse, what stood out to me most was not all the things that he accomplished himself in the show ring, but how much success the horses that he sired had following him. The fact is, Doc Bar changed the cutting horse industry like no other horse has, and he never once showed in a cutting horse event. That astounds me.

I heard a pastor say one time, “Our greatest legacy is not what we do, but who we raise.” I know for myself, there have been times in my life where I’ve focused much of my time and energy on what I could accomplish as a leader in the church. I’ve given the church my best and have, in many ways, fallen short as a husband and father. At times, I’ve neglected teaching and leading my own children to live for Christ. And to be honest, I still struggle with putting ministry and others ahead of my family. The truth is, I’ve been given the honor of raising three wonderful kids, and God has revealed to me that they are my greatest legacy. Sure, I’m called to make a difference at my job and lead people to a relationship with Jesus, but my first calling is to pass on to my daughter and sons a spiritual legacy that will outlast us all. I’m called to raise them to love Jesus with all their hearts, to teach them to love and live by His Word, to show them what it looks like to love your spouse and raise a godly family. Doc Bar’s lasting legacy isn’t based on what he did but who he raised. We should want the same to be said of us.

C H E W  O N  T H I S 

Are you more focused on what you do, than who God has entrusted you to raise? Are you chasing a title or a dream that won’t last? It’s time to ask God to turn your focus to what really matters in life, to help you lead your family well and leave a legacy that will last for eternity.

P R A Y E R 

Lord, show me where my true focus is. I don’t want to leave an earthly legacy that won’t last. I want to leave an eternal legacy and I want it to start with my own children. Give me the strength, energy, and commitment I need to raise kids that love and serve you.

Scripture: Ephesians 5:16

Fight with a Texas Ranger

E p h e s i a n s 5 : 1 6 

Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. (NLT)

Nolan Ryan has to be my favorite baseball player of all time. He was a pitcher in the big leagues for twenty-seven years, playing the majority of those years with the Texas Rangers. He accrued 5,714 strikeouts, pitched seven no-hitters, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999. While it sounds like I’m a baseball fanatic, I’m not. The real reason I like Ryan is because he’s a cattle rancher. He’s been quoted saying, “Baseball allowed me to pursue my passion for ranching.” And at the height of his cattle operation, he ran over 2,000 head.

Well, living in Oklahoma, if we wanted to watch an MLB game, we had to drive to Arlington, Texas to watch the Texas Rangers. We did this a lot over the years, but when it comes to Texas Rangers games there is one I’ll never forget. It was the summer after my senior year of high school, and I’d been invited to tag along on a vacation to Texas with some friends of mine. I remember it like it was yesterday. While there, we were deciding what we wanted to do one night: go to a Texas Rangers baseball game or just go to eat and hang at the hotel. Well, unfortunately we decided not to go to the Rangers game that night. I say “unfortunately” because, in the game that very night, Robin Ventura stormed the mound in an attempt to kick Ryan’s a** after being drilled in the back by a pitch from Ryan. When Ventura got there, he was put in a headlock, where he received a face full of knuckle sandwiches from Ryan. I’ll never forget seeing the replay of the fight and the pictures of Ryan back on the mound after the fight, with blood on his jersey. It was awesome! And I missed it!

Ever since that night, I’ve struggled with what the cool kids call FOMO. What’s FOMO? It’s the FearOf Missing Out. I hate it that I missed such a legendary moment, and to this day I don’t want to miss another one like it. When it comes to serving the Lord, I think a healthy dose of FOMO is a good thing. I say this because I feel like so many of us have become numb to the adventure and excitement of serving the Lord. We’ve become all too comfortable just going through the motions. Going from one Sunday to the next and calling it the Christian life while missing out on the supernatural experiences God wants us to have every day. I mean, where else can you have a front row seat to see someone change his or her destiny from hell to heaven by trusting in Jesus. Or maybe it’s seeing a maverick teenager come back home because you chose to reach out to them. Maybe it’s seeing a prayer answered when a friend of yours gets pregnant after the doctors said it was impossible! Or maybe it’s rejoicing when one of your friends who was living a destructive lifestyle repents and turns back to Jesus. This is what life is all about, and we should desire to be present for every minute of it.

What I believe God wants for us is eyes to see the world the way He sees the world: in desperate need of a Savior. I believe that God wants us to take advantage of the opportunities that are right in front of us every day. There is always something exciting that God wants you to do. The question is: are you willing to do it? Are you prayed up and ready? Or are you settling for just sitting in the stands? It’s time! It’s time to step up onto the mound and take on our opponent, to fight for the souls of our friends, and to enjoy this exciting life we’re called to live!

C H E W O N T H I S 

What opportunities do you see right in front of you that God wants you to be a part of? When was the last time you saw God do a miracle in your life or someone else’s because you took it upon yourself to do something? Where do you see God working right now and how can you join in the exciting things He’s doing?

P R A Y E R 

Jesus, I don’t want to miss out on anything you have in store for me. Help me to see the world as you see it, and to not be afraid to dive in and get my hands dirty serving you. Thank you for this amazing opportunity to see lives changed for eternity.

Scripture: Proverbs 13:20

Travelin’ Partners

P r o v e r b s 1 3 : 2 0 

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. (NLT)

Most rodeo athletes have people they travel with. Bronc riders typically travel with other bronc riders. Team ropers travel with their partners, bull riders with other bull riders. These buddies are often called travelin’ partners. There are many benefits of traveling together as opposed to traveling by yourself. For instance, you have someone else to share the driving, you save money by sharing the cost of gas, and you have someone to help pull your rope or push your calf. Not to mention, if you go to the dance after the rodeo and ask a girl to dance who happens to have a jealous boyfriend you didn’t know about, your boys are there to keep you alive if the boyfriend tries to beat the crap out of you! The most famous travelin’ partners, that we’ve all probably heard of due to the movie 8 Seconds, were Lane Frost, Tuff Hedemen, and Cody Lambert. These guys were the ultimate travelin’ partners. They shared a smelly van, shared wins, shared getting beat up, shared dreams of being the best bull riders in the world, and, unfortunately, they shared the pain of losing a best friend.

Just like having travelin’ partners while rodeoing is awesome, I believe that who we travel with on this ride called life makes all the difference in the world. Friends that love Jesus help us not give in when we get tired of doing what is right because we feel left out. Christ-centered travelin’ partners help bring light to how the decisions we make today will affect us later on down the road. They encourage us  and build  us up spiritually. And when the devil attacks us, they’re there to fight with us! I know for me, I wouldn’t be half the man that I am today if it weren’t for the men and women who I’ve had the pleasure of travelin’ through life with. Men like my dad and father-in-law. Friends like Kreg Murphree, Josh Abbott, Ben Stewart, Jeremy Free- man, Chad Humphrey, and Mickey Bentley. My mentors: Billy Morgan, Ron Cline, Doug Melton, and Odus Compton. Women like my wife, Heather; my mom, Crickette; my friend, Cathy Whitaker, and many others. These outstanding people have traveled with me through thick and thin, and I’m forever grateful for their investment in me. 

How about you? Do you have a list of Christ-centered travelin’ partners who are shaping you to be more like Christ? If you don’t, it’s never too late to ask someone you admire and who has a growing relationship with Christ for some time together. Maybe it’s just a twenty-minute conversation where you ask for wisdom on a decision. Maybe it’s just calling them up and asking if you can ride in the pickup while they feed cows. Maybe it’s pitching in to help them on a project at their house. It’s in these life-on-life moments that God can transform you and grow you like never before. Maybe you have some great travelin’ partners already. When was the last time you honored them for the difference they’ve made in your life?

Don’t wait, do it now.

C H E W  O N  T H I S 

Who in your life helps you become more like Christ? Or who’s someone you’ve observed from afar who you know is growing in Christ that you’d like to build a friendship with? Maybe there’s a friend that has encouraged you for years. Reach out to them today and let them know how thankful you are for them.

P R A Y E R 

Jesus, show me who you want me to travel through this life with that will encourage me to be more like you. Help me to be that friend to others as well. And thank you for blessing me with the amazing Christ-centered friends that I already have.

Scriptures: Ephesians 5:11, John 16:33

Wasted

E p h e s i a n s 5 : 1 1 

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. (NLT)

When it comes to working with cattle, I’ve learned that some cows are easy to get along with no matter what happens. They don’t get excited or snorty, they just go with the flow. But, on the other hand, I’ve also been around cattle that are easy-going until you put pressure on them. For instance, there are certain cows that usually leave you alone and don’t try anything stupid as long as you leave them alone out in the pasture. But the moment you try to gather them or push them in a direction they don’t want to go, they change into crazy winches. I’ve seen cows that are gone as soon as they see the trailer. Or they are looking for a place to escape the moment they step into the corral and you shut the gate. They may try jumping the fence, running you down, or just get so worked up that they fall down and refuse to get up.

We had a red Hereford like this that was respectfully named Reba (get it . . . Reba McEntire has red hair . . . red Hereford). Anyway, Reba was a great cow when it came to raising a big, healthy calf. But the moment you attempted to gather her or sort her out of the herd, she turned crazy. I can’t tell you how many times we roped her and dragged her into the trailer. Or how many times, once we got her in the corral, she would try and jump out or hurt someone. She went crazy when you pressured her. Although this could be dangerous, if I am being honest, I sometimes enjoyed the excitement and challenge of trying to outsmart her. I just enjoy a good challenge every now and then. I like winning battles that seem impossible. To me, that’s what makes life exciting!

The same can be said when it comes to our battle against evil. See, the devil is a lot like Reba. As long as you aren’t a threat to him, he’ll generally leave you alone. But the moment you decide to live out your faith, the fight is on. For example, the moment you start reading your Bible consistently is the moment you face a trial or temptation. Or the moment you start sharing your faith with your friends or expose a lie that they are tempted to believe is usually the moment you face persecution or discouragement. Unfortunately, after we experience his attacks a few times, many of us second-guess living for Jesus. We tend to want to shrink back and not stand out. We keep to ourselves and try to just keep our head down and do life. Why? Because no sane person enjoys being attacked or beat up. We want life to be fun, not filled with battles and hardships. Don’t get me wrong, it can suck to do what’s unpopular or counter-cultural, but we have to remember that this is what it means to love and serve Jesus.

Jesus actually promises that we will face bad stuff when we live for Him. In John 16:33 He says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (NLT). Notice He didn’t say, “You might have trials,” but, “you will have trials.” While this doesn’t sound fun, what we must realize is that the easy, comfortable, no-threat-to-the-enemy way of life is really a wasted life. 

A life that doesn’t leave a legacy of battles that we fought and won, a life that never enters the arena but stays in the stands isn’t really a life worth living. We’ve been called to fight the good fight, to take ground for Jesus, to fight for the souls of man. We’ve been called to live a life on the offense, taking back what the devil hijacks, not just living in comfort and ease. Christ has asked us to enter the dark places of this world and shine bright for Him. Is it easy? Heck no! But is worth it? Always! When we live in such a way that causes the devil to feel threatened or scared, we can go to bed at night, no matter what circumstances we’re in, knowing that we are making a difference. So, don’t waste your life not living for Christ because you’re afraid of the devil’s attack. Know that a life lived for Christ is always worth the fight, and you have the greatest warrior fighting with you—His name is Jesus.

C H E W  O N  T H I S 

Are you a threat to the devil? Or are you just living a comfortable life because you don’t want anything bad to happen to you or your family? It’s time to count the cost and get back into the fight. Commit today to becoming a threat to the devil by living out your faith and making an eternal difference in this world.

P R A Y E R 

Lord, I want to make a difference for you. Help me not to fear the attack of the devil but to live for you no matter the cost. Strengthen me for the fight and give me victory over my enemy, the devil.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:22

Open Another Gate

1  C o r i n t h i a n s 9 : 2 2 

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

I’ve used my truck and a sack of cake many times to get my cattle in the pens. So, not too long ago I set out to do just that. I pulled up, the cows saw my truck and came running. I got out, poured the cake into the feed bunks, and the cows rolled right through the gate and into the corrals. What was different about this day was that I needed to load all my cows and move them to a different pasture. So after successfully getting them caught, I backed my trailer up to the gate and began loading them. After getting about half of them loaded in the front of the trailer, I shut the middle gate and was headed back to load the rest of them. When I stepped out of the trailer, I spooked one of the calves that was still in the corrals, and she ran through the corral fence and got out on the road. Scared, she quickly turned and began to trot down the blacktop. I jumped the fence, got on the other side of the road, snuck around her, and began to try and push her back towards the corrals. To my relief, as I was doing this, she decided to climb back through the pasture fence into our place. I know what you’re thinking, “Hey Beau, sounds like you need some better fences,” to which I’d say, “I know, Mr. Obvious.”

While getting her back through the fence was good because she was back in our pasture, I now had to figure out how to get her back into the corrals so I could get her loaded. If you’ve ever gathered cattle and gotten them in the pens only for them to get right back out, you know how hard it is to get them to go back into the corrals right after they’ve escaped. While I knew that her momma and the rest of the cows would draw her back to the trailer, I also knew that it would be a miracle to get her to go back through the same gate she went through before. But being the stubborn man that I am, I went ahead and tried. After thirty minutes of waiting and then attempting to push her, and even letting a few of the cows out of the trailer back into the corrals to try and draw her through the same gate, I gave up—it wasn’t working. So, finally I did what I should have done from the beginning: I shut the gate she had gone through the first time and opened the panels on the other end of the corrals, giving her a new option to get in. I then got around her and, ever so gently, nudged her down the fence toward that new opening, and she trotted right in.

I’ve served in church leadership for over two decades now. One of the things I’ve noticed, is that churches who are willing to change how they do church—willing to try new things and not hold on too tightly to the-way-we’ve-always-done-things mentality—those churches reach the most people. These churches understand that the way we’ve reached people in the past isn’t always going to work to reach them in the future. Just like I had to find a new way to get that calf into the pen, wise churches must be willing to change the methods they use to reach those who don’t know Christ.

What we have to realize is that the world is changing all the time, and, though we will never change the unchanging message of Jesus and the power of His Word, we must be willing to change the method in which we deliver it. Maybe you’re a leader in the church. Maybe you serve on a team at church. Don’t be afraid to change something up. Don’t be afraid to open a new gate so that more people can come to know Christ.

C H E W O N T H I S 

What do you see that needs to change in your church so that you can reach more people for Christ? What can you do to support and encourage your pastors to help them change how your church reaches the world? What can you do personally to make that change happen?

P R A Y E R 

Lord, as much as it depends on me, help me to always be willing to change to reach whoever you have for me to reach. Help my church to always be willing to do things that no one else is doing to reach people that no one else is reaching.

Scripture: Luke 18:14

We Call Him Fingers

L u k e 1 8 : 1 4 

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

We’ve all been around him. You know who I’m talking about . . . he’s the guy with the new knife in his pocket that’s never had blood on it. The guy who bought used leggings to make it look like he’s done some work. The guy with tie strings on his swells, hobbles hanging from his D-ring, and taps on his stirrups. Looking at him, you might think he’s a hand, but, while all of this may make him look like a hand, we call him Fingers, ‘cause he ain’t no hand.

To be honest, I don’t have a problem with this guy. Why? Because, at one point, I was that guy (some of my friends would say I’m still that guy . . . but they can shut it). Just because you don’t have a lot of experience cowboyin’ or riding a horse doesn’t make you a bad guy, it just means you’re green, which is really no big deal. What I do have a problem with is when Fingers talks like he knows what he’s doing. “Oh yeah, I can rope. I’ve been cowboying for a while. I grew up on a ranch back home.” But then you ask him to do a job, and he’s a wreck waiting to happen. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I kind of enjoy watching posers like Fingers get their butts handed to them because, in some ways, they ask for it by running their mouth (that’s probably not very Christian, but it’s true). What’s even more tragic is that a guy like Fingers not only can hurt himself, but he can put others in a bad spot, too, because of his dishonesty.

If I’ve learned one thing about cowboys, it’s that they tend to respect a guy who can admit he doesn’t know how to do something and actually asks for help. This act of humility makes a good hand more willing to help a guy like Fingers.

I remember the first time my friend Marshall asked me to drag calves at his branding. I reluctantly answered, “Heck no, you don’t want me to drag. You’ll be waiting a while ‘cause I don’t know what I’m doing.” But he didn’t care. He said, “It’s ok, just give it a try. We’ll help you.” So, I did, and, while I didn’t rope great that day, I’ve got the pictures to prove that I did catch a few. Marshall and I have talked about this since, and he 100 percent agrees, “We will help anyone who is willing to learn. But if a dude shows up running his mouth, we might lead him out a bronc and tell him it’s gentle, just to humble him a little.” 

When it comes to serving God, we are told to have this same teachable attitude. He doesn’t care if you’ve never done something, He just wants you to be humble and willing to try. Maybe you’ve never prayed out loud. It’s ok to admit to God that you’re scared. He understands and He wants to help you get past that fear. Maybe you’ve never told someone about Jesus and how He can change their life. You think they might make fun of you or you won’t have the right words to say in the moment. It’s ok! Give your fear to God. Ask Him to give you the words at just the right moment and then give it a try. No matter how long you’ve been a follower of Christ, there is always something you can learn. I’ve been around a lot of self-righteous Christians who are a lot like Fingers. They think they have it all figured out and they hide their doubts and fears to try and make themselves look more spiritual.

What I’ve learned about people is that those who are far from Christ should never relate to perfection. In other words, when we act like we don’t have any problems or face any doubts about God, we distance ourselves from those who do have problems or a past that they’re not proud of. What I’ve come to realize is that it’s our weakness that connects us to our neighbors, not our strength. Therefore, we would all do ourselves a favor if we’d just be honest about our weaknesses and be willing to admit we don’t have it all together. This is what God blesses, and, just like a good hand is willing to help a guy who’s humble, God is more willing and able to use a person who walks in humility.

C H E W O N T H I S 

When was the last time you were honest with God? When was the last time you were honest with those around you and asked for help? What’s an area of your life that you need to be honest and admit you’re weak in and ask someone to help you get stronger?

P R A Y E R 

Jesus, I know I don’t have it all together, so I’m asking you to help me grow in my faith, my love, my obedience, and my humility. I don’t want to bring any undue pain on myself or anyone else because I’m not being honest. Thank you for your willingness to use me in spite of my weakness.

Scriptures: Luke 18:27, Ephesians 3:20

The Underdog

L u k e 1 8 : 2 7 

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

E p h e s i a n s 3 : 2 0 

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (NLT)

I’ve always loved being the underdog. Whether in a wrestling match, in preaching, or when it comes to cowboying, I love it when I surprise someone by what I can get done. Now, I’m the first to admit that I’m not the best at any of these things but, when it comes to roping and dragging calves, I have been known to have a good day every now and then. I often get invited to a ranch to take pictures of families and cowboys at work. Often times, there are new cowboys that come to help and they don’t know me from Adam. So, they naturally suspect that I’m just there to get some good pics for the mothers and wives to enjoy. But then I get asked to help drag and, much to their surprise (and mine sometimes), I’m actually able to make a hand. I remember being invited to the Reed Ranch in Spearman, Texas. I usually spend most of my time taking pics of the great cowboys that work for the Reeds, but on occasion they let me drag a few calves. On one particular occasion, I actually roped pretty well and I remember A.D. Reed, the ranch’s patriarch and top hand, came up to me afterwards to tell me that I had the guys talking about how impressed they were with my dragging skills. While it was nice to hear that and humbling at the same time, to me the biggest reward came from being able to out-perform their expectations. While I’d like to take credit for being able to get done what I did, I can tell you the secret to always out-performing others’ expectations. The secret is having God on your side.

Here’s what I’ve learned from riding with Christ: In the eyes of others, you may seem like an underdog, but with Christ you can do the impossible. It may seem that you’re not smart enough to go to college, but with Christ you can do it. It may seem that you’re not good enough to get that job. But with Christ you can not only get the job, but after a while you can get the promotion, and then eventually become the boss. You may think, “that hot babe over there would never fall in love with a guy like me.” Take it from me, God can blind her enough to look past your ugly mug and see what a great guy you are, and y’all could end up living happily ever after.

See, what a lot of people don’t get is: without Jesus, we are nothing and we can accomplish nothing of true worth. But with Christ, we can do anything He asks us to do. You could be a high-school dropout. It doesn’t matter. With Christ in your corner, you can do the impossible. As a parent you may think to yourself, “I have no idea how to be a good dad.” Well, let me tell you, even though my grandpa died when my dad was four years old, my dad had another Heavenly Father to help him become the greatest dad I’ve ever known. God can equip you to be an outstanding parent, and, where you’re lacking, God can fill the gaps.

If you think about it, Jesus was underdog too. Sure, He was the Son of God, but not everyone believed that. Even His own brother didn’t believe He was special. He just looked at Him as his smelly big brother and not the Savior of the world that He was. To many of His own followers, Jesus wasn’t what they thought He’d be. Instead of conquering the Romans and becoming the King of Israel like everyone hoped He would, Jesus sought no throne, had no crown or palace, but instead a pair of sandals and a mission to do His Father’s will. And against all odds, that’s exactly what He did. He out-performed everyone around Him by loving the unlovable, healing the sick, performing miracle after miracle, and eventually even defeating death. This Underdog changed the world!

So, if He can do all these things and more, surely He can help you do more than you could have ever dreamed or thought you could do. If the odds are against you, take hope. God is in the business of using underdogs. And God want to use an underdog just like you.

C H E W O N T H I S 

What’s holding you back from being who God wants you to be? Is it your past? Your fears? What mindset or habit do you need to get rid of to begin to be used by God in ways you never thought possible?

P R A Y E R 

Jesus, I thank you for empowering me to do the impossible. I trust that you want to use me and I’m giving you permission. Take what little I have and use it to out-perform what anyone thought was possible. I give you the glory and honor.

Scripture: Colossians 1:17

Farm Weld

C o l o s s i a n s 1 : 1 7 

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Living the ranching lifestyle isn’t always about getting to saddle a good horse each day and ride through cattle. Some of the best hands I’ve been around knew more than just how to sit a horse. In my opinion, one skill that makes a person pretty handy is knowing how to weld. Now, I’m the first to admit that I’m not a good welder. I don’t know things like why a 7018 welding rod is better than 6010 or 6011; I’ve just been told that it’s better. I don’t know what type rod is made for welding up or which rod is made for welding down. But I have mastered the art of what most guys commonly refer to as a “farm weld.” This is a weld that isn’t at all pretty, but it holds whatever it is you’re welding together so you can use it to get a job done.

Not too long ago, some friends of mine and I were welding up some continuous fence for another guy. One of the guys, who happens to be a great welder, watched as I did my best to lay down a pretty weld. Seeing that  I didn’t really know what I was doing, he kindly offered some pointers. He told me things like, “when you’re welding top-rail to your line posts, you need to tilt your rod up a bit,” and “when welding a vertical seam, you need to speed up a little and come back and weld over what you just welded.” But it wasn’t until he said, “loosen your grip and relax your arm,” that I began to weld the best I’d ever welded. See, I was so tense, partly because I knew he was watching me but also because I felt like I had to have a tight grip on the handle to control the rod and make  a good weld. What I quickly learned was that the opposite was true. The looser my grip and the more relaxed my arm was, the smoother my hand moved, making my welds prettier and stronger.

Sometimes I treat my life a lot like my welding. I think that as long as I have a tight grip on the things that are happening around me, life is going to be good. Sadly, this couldn’t be further from the truth. What I learn more and more every day is that just like welding with a loose grip makes for a smoother weld, life is always better, and in many cases a lot smoother, when I loosen my grip and allow God to guide my every move. This is a real struggle for me because I want to control everything. For example, I want to keep a tight grip on my kids. I want to keep a tight grip on the people that work for me. I want to control how people respond to my preaching. I want to control how I spend my time. I want to control how my wife responds to my hints for getting frisky (can I get a witness). I want to control everything. But as I’ve already admitted, the more I try to control things and not let God have control, the less I grow, and the more things go south.

Maybe you’re like me and you want to have a tight grip on everything. Maybe you have a tight grip on a dating relationship that you don’t want to end. Or maybe you have a tight grip on where you want to work or live. Maybe you have a tight grip on your money. We all struggle with holding on to things too tightly. But if we were wise and knew what was best for us, we would listen to our Lord’s instruction in today’s key verse and trust that He holds all things together. Looking back on that day of welding, I would’ve never made a better weld if I hadn’t listened to my friend. He was more experienced. He was encouraging. He made me better. God is the same way. He doesn’t want to control us because He’s this controlling God who doesn’t want us to live a great life. He wants control so that we can succeed and live a more fulfilling life—a life of peace, joy, and purpose. 

C H E W  O N  T H I S 

What do you need to loosen your grip on and allow God to guide you in? What are you trying to make happen that’s not working? How teachable are you? Are you willing to surrender everything to the Lord?

P R A Y E R 

God, I don’t want to control my life, so I’m surrendering everything to you. Thank you for being an all-knowing, all-powerful God that knows what’s best for me. I trust you and I commit to doing things your way.

Scripture: Philippians 3:12

Stripping Perfection

P h i l i p p i a n s 3 : 1 2 

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. (NLT)

One of my favorite places to day-work is the Smith/Oasis Ranch in Canadian, Texas. My good friend Marshall Long is the ranch manager there and we’ve had lots of great experiences working together. I had the pleasure of seeing Marshall come to know Christ and I got to baptize him in a river just north of where we lived. I’ve never told him this, but, while I may have played a small part in mentoring him spiritually, he’s been my greatest influence when it comes to cowboyin’. He’s the greatest hand I’ve ever ridden with, and, for the most part, he expects his crew to be great hands as well. That said, to be asked to come and work for him is a true honor.

A few years back, I was helping Marshall with his spring works. We had gathered a couple sets of cows and worked the first set when Marshall hollered at me and a few other guys to take the second set of cows and strip the mommas off the calves. This meant that we needed to sort the momma cows from their calves so that we could run the mommas through the chute and drag the calves. Although this job is commonly done in the gate afoot, this particular day we decided to do it horseback. This meant that while the other cowboys were bringing the cows and calves to the gate to be sorted, one of us had to stand in the gate horseback, letting the cows go by but not the calves. Sounds difficult, right? Well, it is. I remember one of the cowboys looked at the other guy and said, “There’s no way I can sort them on my horse, he’s only got about ninety days on him, and it wouldn’t be pretty.” Then the other cowboy piped up and said, “My horse won’t do any good either.” Then they both looked at me, and one of them said, “You’re up, Beau!”

Now if you’ve ever had to sort cows this way, you know that it says something about a cowboy when he can sort cattle horseback. Needless to say, you kind of have to know what you’re doing, and more importantly you have to have a horse that’s broke. If I was being honest, although I knew my horse was handy enough to do the job, in that moment, I felt I was not. But, because I’ve always had a hunger to get better at what I do, I stepped into the gate and told the boys to bring ‘em to me. I wish I could tell you that I was perfect that day and not a single calf got by me, but that wouldn’t be true. The truth is, although I was successful at keeping eighty or so calves from getting through, I did let a couple get by. And although the guys told me I did a good job, boy did I hate not being perfect.

Later that day, Marshall and I were watering down the corrals for the next day’s branding. While we were visiting, I told him that when he asked me to strip those cows, I wanted so badly to do it perfectly. I told him that I hated letting him down and really didn’t know why he trusted me to do such a crucial job. Much to my surprise and relief, he looked at me and said, “It’s ok—letting a few calves by is more fun anyway, because the guys get to go rope them and drag them back out.” I was like, “Thank you, Jesus!” Here I was worried about disappointing my boss and friend, when he didn’t really expect me to be perfect in the first place. All he asked was for me to get in there and try.

I bet you if I were to ask him now about that day, he’d probably tell me that he knew I wasn’t going to be perfect before I even stepped into the gate. He’d known this because he knows that some days everything goes right, and some days it doesn’t. The fact is, he chose me to work for him before I failed and he chose me to work for him after I failed. Why? Because he likes me, not because I am perfect, but because I tried, I put in effort.

Spiritually speaking, although God knows we will never be perfect, He still asks us to strive for perfection anyway. Why? Because it’s in trying that we change the world. He’s not so concerned about us falling short, He just asks each of us to do our best. Some days that means we do things well, and some days that means we don’t. The truth is, God has called all of us to do a job. It may be a job that we feel we’re inadequate to do or a job we fear we’re going to fail at. But just like my buddy Marshall used me in spite of my failures, God wants to use us in spite of our failures also. Today’s key verse tells us we are called to strive for perfection, but, let’s be real, none of us will ever be perfect. But hear me when I say, that’s no excuse to not strive for it!

The next day we got up and gathered another set of cows, got them in the pens, and Marshall stepped into the gate on his great horse Paint. Out of 119 pairs, Marshall and Paint stripped every cow perfectly—not letting one calf get by. It was so much fun to watch them accomplish perfection that I lost sight of my own imperfection. In that moment, I was just happy to be in the same pen as them.

This is true with Jesus too. His perfection covers our imperfection. And get this: Jesus Christ wasn’t just perfect one day—He was perfect his whole life! God sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth to live a perfect life, only to die a miserable death. Why? So that our imperfections, our sin, and our failures could be covered. Remember this: Even though we serve a perfect God, He uses imperfect people to fulfill His perfect will. Praise Jesus!

C H E W  O N  T H I S 

Are you allowing your fear of failure to keep you from doing your best for God? Are you allowing your past to hold you back? Today’s the day to start striving again. Not for acceptance or to work your way into heaven, but in response to what all Jesus has done for you. Get your eyes off of your imperfection and place them on the only perfect person to ever walk the face of the earth, Jesus.

P R A Y E R 

Jesus, thank you for being my perfect Savior. Thank you for challenging me to strive to be the best that I can be. I give you my sin, my failure, and my fear, and I ask that you would help me to press on and fulfill the purpose you have for me. I’m ready to give you my best.