Rod Wrote It

Things I Don't Say Enough

2011-05-09T21:09:00.009-04:00

Can someone please explain to me why it is so hard to say things sometimes?!?!?! I would love to know why I can not seem to swallow my pride or get over myself long enough to let the things that my heart wants to say come flowing out. The funny thing is that it is not like I am talking about standing up and giving a 3 hour dissertation. On the contrary the things I really want and need to say are mostly 2 and 3 word sound bites that should roll off the tongue with such ease and eloquence!?!? To all of those in my life that I have robbed of these sound bites, I am truly sorry! I need to let these things flow from me more often and that is my prayer!

I LOVE YOU!

I AM SORRY!

THANK YOU!

FORGIVE ME!

I MISS YOU!

JESUS LOVES YOU!

The Shadows are Dark

2011-04-23T13:53:00.005-04:00

I know that it has been a few weeks since I posted and it has not been because I don't have anything to say. Anyone who knows me will testify to the fact that there very few times that I am "at a loss for words"! I have found it hard to get my mind around everything that has been going on inside me and around me. Those that know me also know that I stay pretty busy. Between a full-time job, my family, the youth group, soccer and whatever else pops up; my days seem to fill up rather quickly. With all of that going on I have to guard myself against being too busy to here the Lord.

You see, the things in my life are not inherently bad but if they push God out of top billing then they become deadly. This battle is seemingly always present for me!?!? I am not sure if it is due to growing up having to do for myself a lot or if it is merely the sinful stubbornness that resides in my heart. What I do know is that my heart is "dark" and in desperate need of Jesus!

Last night I was able to go to the Tenebrae service at my church. I had not gone to a Tenebrae service before last year at this time. It is quickly becoming one of the hardest services for me but one of my favorites! For those of you who don't know what Tenebrae means, which was me a year ago, it is the Latin word for "darkness" and is often called "the service of the shadows". Throughout the service you are walked through the anguish and suffering that Christ felt as He made His way ultimately to the cross. There is very little light in the sanctuary and candles are extinguished during the service to symbolize the darkness that covered the earth when Christ died for us. For me it proven to be one of the best ways for me to catch a glimpse of what Christ choose to go through for me and it truly leaves my in awe of my Savior!

The hardest part for me is that I know my heart is still full of the dark shadows that Christ died for. But Christ continues to pursue me regardless of how ugly my heart is. I pray that I never lose sight of how much God loved me to do what He did and how truly undeserving I am of being saved. As darkness and silence covered the church at the end of the service last night it was hard to not feel completely helpless and sad! But then I remember that is beautiful fact....SUNDAY'S COMING!

A Clenched Fist

2011-04-03T13:02:00.006-04:00

The title of this entry comes from one of my favorite songs. It is by a duet called Ridgely and it helps put words to something I know is a struggle of mine and I feel sure it is a struggle for many others. The chourus go like this:

I can’t feel you anymore through a clenched fist
open arms cannot embrace me when I resist
lonely sighs will tie me down with a clenched fist
the simple fact that without you, I would not exist
brings a smile once again

You see, I often find myself struggling with my inability to "let go"! I am constantly desiring to be in control of life. I know that it is not the life that I am called to live as a follower of Christ but yet I am repeatedly reaching over and "taking the wheel" in this adventure called life. Why!?!? Why am I constantly trying so hard to do what I want? Why can't I let go and trust the one who knows exactly where to go?

Picture in your mind a clenched fist. It can only hold on to what it has at that moment; it can not pick up anything new. So obviously by living this way I am robbing myself of countless experiences that the Father longs for me to have. Stuff that is undoubtedly better than anything I could imagine. Sadly, I get so caught up in the "I know best" mentality that I am afraid I am missing out on a lot of life! That is a painful truth for me at times when I look in the mirror!

In order for me to "feel" life and need to open up my fist so that my fingers, and thus my life, are exposed to what God has for me. I pray that God will continue to chip away at my selfishness and stubborn tendencies. I pray that I truly grasp what Christ was saying in John 10:10!

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

I am supposed to be weak?!?!?

2011-03-31T19:51:00.005-04:00

Sometimes I wish that I could just fix it! Fix it all! Snap my fingers and make it all OK! Press the easy button and start it all over or find the quickest way to be through with the junk that comes up in life. I don't like to hurt and I definitely don't like to see others hurt.

The most frustrating thing to me is that I know that life is hard and I know that the Bible specifically tells us that we will encounter hard things. Yet I still get mad when things get tough and I still struggle with asking "why this? why that? why me?" when something happens that is hard or painful! The real question is why am I always so concern about my circumstances or the things that life dishes out!?!? I should be concentrating on what God is trying to teach me in the middle of it! I should allowing him to mold me and shape me in ways that I so obviously need!

I need to be on my knees more! I need to not fall into the same trap that Peter did when he took his eye off of Jesus when walking on the water. Peter was doing what no other person, other than Jesus, had done by walking on water and he still couldn't keep his eyes on Jesus!?!? So what hope is there of me doing as Hebrews 12:2 says of fixing my on on Jesus. If Peter who walked, talked and saw Jesus do His thing could not do it then how can I? Trust me I know the "right" answer. I know that I can only do it through relying on Jesus, but how do you really do it? How do I in all circumstances trust the Lord and not lose sight of the the prize?

Lord, may I never lose sight of you! May I always lean on you and know that somehow you are made stronger through my weakness!

Who Am I....Plastic Man?

2011-03-27T09:21:00.011-04:00

I don't know how many of you even know who "Plastic Man" was!?!? I simply might be dating myself by even bringing it up but oh well you only live once! Plastic Man was a superhero that started in comic books way before me. Then in the 80's, during my childhood, there was a Saturday morning cartoon with Plastic Man. When asked what "super power" you would want most people probably tend to pick flying, x-ray vision or something cool like that! But, for whatever reason I have always thought that it would be cool to have the super power of Plastic Man. His main power was the ability to stretch in seemingly limitless ways and distances!

OK I know that most of you are saying, "Rod has lost it!" or "What is this fool talking about?" Well over the past 6 months or so I feel like God has been treating me like Plastic Man!?!? He has been pulling and stretching me in ways that I could not have imagined! I can honestly say that it has been incredibly hard and painful but my soul hasn't felt this alive in years! I feel like I am being used in the lives of people again and in turn I am looking for ways to share the hope that I have inside of me! I have my youth group friends to thank for a lot of it! God has really used them to open me back up to "true life"! They are an amazing group of middle schoolers and high schoolers and it is a privilege to be involved in their lives! I really just want them to love the Lord and desire others to do the same. God has also used my family in this whole reawakening. My wife is amazing and I would be completely lost without her! She is the glue that holds our family together and I think I take that for granted too often. My 3 beautiful kids inspire me to be a better dad, leader, and friend! I pray that I never lose sight of the blessing they are!

Over the past week or two I have felt even more stretched than before. The transitions and changes of life have weighed heavy on me and I have had to lean more and more on Christ. As painful as it has been and to be honest still is I know God has a plan for it all. I must be all about allowing Him to bring His perfect plan for my life to fruition! My prayer is that through all the painful stretching I only allow God to define who I am! Lord make me clay in your hands!

Romans 9:20-24 (The Message)

Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question? Clay doesn't talk back to the fingers that mold it, saying, "Why did you shape me like this?" Isn't it obvious that a potter has a perfect right to shape one lump of clay into a vase for holding flowers and another into a pot for cooking beans? If God needs one style of pottery especially designed to show his angry displeasure and another style carefully crafted to show his glorious goodness, isn't that all right?

All We Can Do Is Follow!!

2011-03-22T06:42:00.002-04:00

There are a couple of things that I have come to realize throughout my 36 years on this earth. One of those is that a lot of the time life is hard. You see we would love for life to come easy; for all of our decisions and or problems to have clear answers. And to be honest, I am as guilty of it as anyone else. I want the fire from heaven or the voice of God to say, “Rod, go this way!” or “Rod, I want you to do that!” The bad news for me is that it is evident that I don’t know what I am doing and that I am incapable of being “in control” of my life. This means that I must learn to trust and follow.

I think that we can all remember when we were younger and having to answer the question about what animal you would say you are most like or would most desire to be like. As I recall most people would answer with some strong, powerful animal like a lion or eagle. However, throughout the Bible there is talk of us needing to be more like sheep. Really!?!?! Sheep!?!? Could this be more opposite than what most of us are taught growing up? Sheep by nature are wonderers. If gates and fences are not present sheep will roam all over the place even into danger. Jesus refers to His followers as sheep lost and need of a shepherd. The funny thing is that sheep are not considered to be the smartest of animals but somehow they know their shepherds voice. For most of my walk I have desired for God to ALWAYS act quickly, swiftly, justly on MY behalf. I now know that I must get it through my head that He is doing all those things but most of the time it is behind the scenes and often without me even knowing. My job is to simply respond to his voice.

John 10: 27-30 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one."

My prayer is that in the midst of whatever we are going through we would not loose sight of the protection and guidance that God’s hand provides for us. And, that we would always know that our only hope is to follow!

This Too Shall Pass

2011-03-16T15:39:00.003-04:00

I am writing this with a heart that could not be more torn right now! Tonight is ROCK night and I am usually so jacked and excited to get there and have an incredible evening. But tonight is a bit different. We are saying goodbye to 2 of our youth group girls and both will be missed more than they will ever know! They will be missed by their friends and they will be missed by their leaders! There smiles and personalities can turn a room upside down simply by walking in the door! The ministry will also miss their hearts for Jesus. The way they brought friends and tried to make all feel welcome. I know I can learn a lot from both of them.

I am excited to see what God has in store for them because both are sure to become mighty women of God and do great things for the kingdom! As much as I would like to keep them here I know that it would mean depriving someone and somewhere else of 2 of the brightest lights for Jesus.

So tonight will be an adventure and I am curious to see what God will do in the midst of all of this. I know that He is stretching me and I know that I will be better because of it in the end! For now I will enjoy the last few days of them being so close and I want them both to know that I am not that easy to get rid of and that they are basically stuck with me now!

Hannah and Amy, I want you both to know I love you and I am here if you need anything!

What a 36th!

2011-03-13T21:02:00.004-04:00

I must say that it is hard to believe another year of my life has come and gone! It has been a great year for me and my family but it has also been a hard year. We have had to lean hard on God and I know that we are better for it today. We are loving being in Jacksonville and so close to the beach!

As many of you know I have jumped back into the world of youth ministry and I am loving every minute of it! I feel like I am doing what God designed me to do and it truly breathes life into my soul! To cap the year off I got to spend my birthday with 47 youth friends and leaders on a retreat to Silver Springs, FL. We had an amazing time of building and deepening relationships as we looked at what God calls us to as part of his family. We explored the areas of sisterhood and brotherhood along with what it means to have the privilege of being called a child of God. That is a huge thing for me given the state of my earthly family dynamic. I am so glad I can cry "Abba Father"!

My prayer is that the time was fun and fruitful! I pray that we all would bring it back to Jacksonville and strive to put it into practice. I am excited about the work that God has been doing with ROCK and I am eager to see what He has in store for this ministry. I am blessed to be a part of ROCK. I am blessed to have great leaders to serve with. I am blessed to have these middle school and high school friends in my life. To be honest, I could not have thought of a better way to spend my birthday then on the ROCK Retreat!

In the Blink of an Eye

2011-03-05T22:59:00.004-05:00

I must say that it has been one crazy week! It was a week mixed highs and lows along with some joy and sadness. Most of all it was a great lesson for me about the ever present and steadying hand of God. The week started with craziness at work. Our volumes have been high and it was a non-stop whirlwind from the time I walked in the door until the time I walked. Yet all along the way I continue to hear God's prompting to stay the course and represent Him the best I can in this workplace.

Then came Wednesday night. Wednesday nights have become very sacred to me because it is ROCK night. I get to hang out with a great group of leaders and walk beside an incredible group of middle and high school friends through this thing called life. We sing, laugh, dance, hang out and just attempt to love on each other by simply being together. The night went well and everyone seemed to have a good time overall. However, the night took a different turn when 4 of our youth group friends were involved in a car accident right out in front of the church. The night quickly turned from laughter to worry and fear. Through the grace of God, all 4 were spared and walked away with a trip to the ER and some cuts and bruises. I am convince the Lord is not finished with those 4 yet! (P.S. The driver was our favorite baby sitter so it hit even closer to home for all of the Millers!)

Then came Thursday which was a routine day. Ang went to bible study and I took the kids to Elijah's Lil Gym class. Ang met us there and we went to Chic-fil-a for lunch. And then as we were eating there was a blood curdling scream that came from the playground. When I turned around I saw Elijah coming out of the door with a stream of blood flowing down his face!?!?! Needless to say this was no longer the routine lunch at Chic-fil-a. We scooped him up and got everything and raced to the van. I put the flashers on and away we went! About 2 hours later we were done at the ER and Elijah had a war wound with 8 stitches (2 interior and 6 exterior). Thankfully there was no damage to his eye and no head injury! In fact, as soon as we walked out of the ER he wanted to know where Rodgers and Kylie were and if he could go play with them!

All of this to say that I am more and more aware that we are not in control and we do not know what is next. However, I know that the Father knows what is next and he is very much in control!! Lord help me to live each day as if it could be my last! CARPE DIEM!

Old Self vs. New Self

2011-02-16T22:08:00.004-05:00

A friend of mine had this video on her blog today and I promptly grab it and used in my talk tonight at ROCK. The talk was on the topic of "old self vs. new self" and the every day battle we wage as Christians to try to become more like Christ and move further away from our sinful self. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

[sigh no more | a reflection of beauty] from JJ Starr on Vimeo.

Pray Big!

2010-12-12T09:51:00.002-05:00

I am ashamed to admit that I don't pray often enough and that when I do, I spend way too much time on things that are "small". At the time I am sure that they seemed pretty big to me but when I reflect back on them I am left with one thought most of the time: why?

1-Why was that "thing" what I thought was so important?
2-Why are my prayers more like checklists than conversations with the Father?
3-Why do I pray so small?

I need to make a fundamental change in how I pray and I think that many of us probably do as well. We serve a God that is so huge, so loving, so amazing...the list could go on and on. So why do I not spend more time talking with the ultimate source of life and how to live it!?!? We are all taught to "follow your dreams" and "you can do or be whatever you want to". So why do we as Christians not pray big? Why do we not pray about or dreams or desires more? God surely knows them, but I believe He wants us to realize and embrace them also. We should take comfort in the fact that if they are of His will they will happen, and if not, He has something far better in store for us.

Lord help me to pray big! Help me to have conversations with you and not a one sided checklist of mine!

My Favorite Baseball Player!

2010-11-29T22:02:00.001-05:00

Pretty amazing story of how God restores and uses broken people to bring glory to Himself!

This is Stinking Hilarious!

2010-11-25T15:10:00.000-05:00

Give Thanks!

2010-11-25T08:54:00.002-05:00

Today is Thanksgiving and I have so much to be thankful for!

1- I am so thankful for Jesus. Without Him, there would be no hope which would lead to a pretty bleak existence.

2-I am thankful for my family! I could not imagine life without my wife and kids. Angie makes me a better man and Rodgers, Kylie and Elijah teach me something new everyday.

3-I am thankful for my friends. God has blessed me with friends that I can "live" life with. I am thankful that they help to sharpen me and love me no matter what.

4-I am thankful for the youth at my church. It is such a privilege to work with them and a consider it a huge blessing to have them as friends!

What a great ride this life is and I am thankful for all the ups and downs as well as the twists and turns. Take a moment today to give thanks to the Father who makes all of the things in this blog possible.

Another Reason to Vaca in Europe

2010-11-24T11:37:00.001-05:00

Thought I would share this. Pretty cool stuff.

The Harvest Is Plentiful!

2010-11-21T19:40:00.003-05:00

It's turkey time y'all or as some of you may refer to it, Thanksgiving. This time of year always makes me think of lots of food. From the days of the pilgrims and Indians there are stories of plentiful harvests and bountiful provisions from the Lord. I want to always remember how blessed I am and how little I deserve any of it! I am thankful for a beautiful wife and 3 amazing kids. I am thankful that we are all back together after a grueling 8 months apart last year. I am thankful that I live in a country that allows me the freedom to worship and serve Christ without the fear of death. I am also thankful that there are brothers and sisters around the world that are willing to risk death to praise and worship Christ and I pray for their safety! I also pray that I would not forget what Christ says in Matthew 9: 35-38:

³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

I am convinced more and more each day that there are loads of people in our world who desperately need Jesus! I pray for the eyes see to them, the willingness to be a worker and the power of the Holy Spirit to help me speak truth into the lives of those I encounter! I pray that God would get me out of the way and allow people to see Him. Here am I Lord, send me!

WHAT A YEAR! COULD THE CURSE REALLY BE DEAD?

2010-11-15T22:34:00.003-05:00

Well I must say that the events over this past year have been pretty amazing when it comes to Gamecock sports! My COCKS won the National Championship in baseball and this past weekend punch their ticket to their 1st ever SEC Championship game. As if that isn't enough, they did it by crushing the Florida Gators in The Swamp 36-14. To quote a great friend of mine as we texted back and forth during the game, "this is my favorite football game ever!" It is even sweeter for me because living in Jacksonville is almost like living in Gainesville in that there are freaking Gator fans everywhere! Well my COCKS have basically shut them up for at least a year and life is glorious as a Gamecock living in enemy territory. I must say that this success is well deserved and couldn't have happened to a more deserving fan base. As painful as it is sometimes I am proud to be a Gamecock and 2010 has been well worth the wait! Here's to what the future holds if the CHICKEN CURSE really is dead! FOREVER TO THEE!

What Makes a Powerful Leader?

2010-11-12T17:40:00.002-05:00

I spoke to my high school and middle friends about this question this past Wednesday. While dissecting this topic and trying to find out what was so different about Jesus as and a leader I landed on three things:

1- Jesus was an incredible listener

2- Jesus maintained a presence in the lives of those around Him

3- Jesus was faithful.

I believe that all too often leaders can not get away from being in it for the fame, power, control, success or whatever else is driving them. I hope my friends see that the 3 values listed above will create an environment of trust and love, and a leader people will follow to the ends of the earth! I also firmly believe that this best in the context of relationship! I was incredibly convicted by how often I seek to be heard before I listen, seek to put myself first and just how absent from my friend's lives I can become.

I pray the Lord continues to convict me of these things. I want to set my eyes and goals on the things Christ embodied and help my high school and middle school friends to do the same!

My Heart Smiles!

2010-11-10T22:03:00.004-05:00

After being away from youth ministry for around 5 years I am back at it with my church's youth group here in Jacksonville. I have to say I am loving every minute of it because I feel like I am doing what God made me for! I am enjoying the new relationships with the 30+ kids who are coming and I am very excited for what God is doing in this ministry. I am also eager to see what He has in store for us. My hope is that we can build authentic community that will impact our friends, families, church and anyone else we encounter along the way! The ministry is called R.O.C.K. (Representatives Of Christ's Kingdom); so if you think about us throw up a prayer or two.

Let the Games Begin

2010-03-07T22:35:00.003-05:00

The practices have started and the uniforms have arrived and now it is time to put it to the test on the field. Kylie had he first soccer game with her new club on Saturday and we could not have asked for a more beautiful day. Kylie had so much fun and she is really starting to improve! She now spends a lot of her free time with a ball at her feet wanting me to teach her "tricks". Sadly, her team got killed on Saturday but she was not down about the lose. In fact she told me, as we were walking to the car, that she thought that if they just played harder next time that maybe they would win. I must admit that it makes my heart smile to see her loving the game that brought me so much joy as grew up and continues to hold an incredibly special place in my life. Of course at this point who knows what the future will hold for Kylie and her "soccer career" but I am glad that it is bringing some joy to her life right now!

My mom and step dad, Rocky, were here for the week last week which was the first time that they have seen our new stomping grounds. They definitely got a picture into the chaos that is our everyday life right now with work, homeschooling, dance, t-ball, soccer, AWANA, and what ever else that week's schedule may bring. It was fun to have them and the food is always good when mom is around so that doesn't hurt either. Hopefully they will return soon because it was a joy having them here and I know the kids truly loved it!

Angie went to the women's retreat with our church this weekend so I had the kids to myself for a day or so. I hope that it was a great time of learning, bonding, and reenergizing for her because due to chasing the 3 rug rats around, she does not get that enough! We do miss her when she is gone but it is fun to hang with just the kids from time to time.

I hope you are all well and we would love to hear from any of you if you are coming through Jacksonville anytime

Life Is Busy But Good!

2010-02-23T21:40:00.003-05:00

Well it seems the one thing that the Millers know how to do is stay busy! I guess that comes with the territory when you have a wife and 3 kids and we all have "stuff" we are involved with. Most days I am only home to sleep and the rest of my time is at work or at one of the kids activities. I must say that it keeps this journey called life a whirlwind adventure.

Kylie is loving her dance classes which are on Monday nights and she says they have mostly been working on the stuff that will be in her recital at the end of the class. I haven't really seen her dance but if she is just an ounce as good as she is beautiful in her outfits she will knock us dead! Ky is also playing soccer on a U6 coed team that had their first practice tonight. She continues to surprise me in that arena too and I think that we will get her into the academy program next season so she can get some more one-on-one instruction from some coaches other than her dad. Rodgers is playing t-ball for the first time and is loving it so far. He is pretty good for only having played in the backyard in Charlotte. He is continually getting better at catching, hitting, fielding, and especially moving his feet to get his body in front of the ball. His team name is the Braves which I am excited about because it is my favorite major league team! However, Angie and her family of Pirates fans are not too happy about the choice! I believe that it is all still resentment from when the slowest man on the planet, Sid Bream, made it home safe to win the game and send the Braves to the world series and the Pirates to their couches. These 2 busy bees are also doing AWANA on Wednesday nights and it has been so amazing to watch both of them thirst for memorizing scripture while learning what it means to be a light in a dark world. WHAT A BLESSING!

Couple all of that with church, small group, work, family time, and time with new found friends and you have a full week, every week. As you can see life is busy and at some times it can seem too hectic but I know that I would have it no other way. As Angie's dad, Fred, would say, "life is about the joy in the journey"!

Below are some of the first pics that I snapped with the new toy I got as an early birthday present. Hope to see your faces soon!

For Your Viewing Enjoyment

2010-02-01T22:31:00.001-05:00

I Know It's Been Too Long!

2010-02-01T21:50:00.002-05:00

I am sorry that it has been so long since I have posted anything on here and to be truthful it is not due to a lack of things to right about. I have simply been lazy and I guess a little busy too!?!? My biggest problem right now is where to begin and how to condense this post so it is not a short story.

I guess I will start with this; if you haven't heard the news yet the Millers are now Florida residents. We are living in Jacksonville and trying to adjust to all the changes as smoothly as we can. Angie and I are official though! We have FL license tags, drivers licenses and are registered to vote in the state of FL. I am really enjoying working here and I fell like I am learning something new just about every day right now. We are in a 3BR apartment which has been and continue to be interesting as we were definitely used to our 2100 square foot house. Needless to say we are seeing a lot more of each other. We feel incredibly bless to have sold our house in Charlotte and I realized even more so today, as I was reading an article in Forbes magazine that listed Charlotte as the city with the 3rd highest drop in home prices in the nation over the past 3 months, how blessed we are to have sold our house!

The kids are finally starting to adjust to this being their new home. They are getting involved in several things and making new friends seemingly every day. Rodgers is going to play t-ball this season so he is excited about that new adventure. Kylie's new adventure started today with her first ballet/tap class and she absolutely loved it. She is also going to play soccer so it seems as though I will have a well round young lady on my hands. They are also both doing AWANA at a local church on Wednesday so their schedules are already full. Elijah is tagging along to everything and starting to wonder why he doesn't get to do any of there things. He is growing like crazy and making a lot of new friends too while trying to keep up with his two older siblings.

We have found a church that we like called Eastside Community Church and we are getting involved already. Angie got her ESL (English as a Second Language) certification the other week and is helping with that ministry at church which uses the Bible to help others learn to speak, read and write English. We are also already involved in a small group with 4 other couples from church and are already feeling the blessings of sharing life with them! I am hoping to find a niche to fit into as well so we will see what God has in store.

Well I guess that about catches you up on what is going on with us. We are truly amaze at how faithful God is to us when we deserve nothing! I hope that you are seeing and experiencing Him in a new way today. Rest on this verse from 1 Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Please call if you are in Jacksonville or coming through! We would love to see you!

Fall Fun

2009-11-04T10:32:00.002-05:00

Pics from J'Ville. What fun!

2009-10-01T13:26:00.001-04:00

Like Sands Through the Hourglass

2009-09-21T16:02:00.002-04:00

I know that over the past 6 months or so the life of the Miller's has been a lot like the weather; seemingly ever changing. Well here is the latest. I am writing this from my hotel room in Jacksonville, Fl. Yes that is right, Jacksonville, Fl not Atlanta, Georgia. I am in Jacksonville for 2-4 weeks filling in at the distribution center due to an immediate need for 2 supervisors. I am hoping that this will turn into a permanent thing so please pray that I would know enough to be effective and stand out enough to get one of the open positions on a permanent basis! Both Ang and I feel that J'ville would be a better place for us and for the kids than Atlanta and maybe this is why God has not brought someone to buy our house yet. I am always amazed at just how small I am and how in control God is!

Our weekend was really good and filled with a lot of family hang out time! I am truly blessed with an amazing wife and 3 incredible kids! I got off early on Friday so I got to Columbia around 10:30 pm which was so nice because it meant that I got to sit and chat with Ang and we got to sleep in the same bed an extra night this weekend which is really good for the soul! We spent Saturday morning at the soccer fields watching the nephews play. The rest of the day was just relaxing and hanging with family and then Ang and I snuck out to pick up Caroline and go for a glass of wine and dessert at Nonnah's which is the home of the most amazing apple pie on the planet! It was very nice to relax and have some good "adult" conversation with my bride and a great friend. Sunday was another lazy day mixed with going to the Columbia Children's Theatre for a rendition of "Go, Dog. Go" and a birthday celebration for Elijah with the cousins since they could not make it to the party in Pinehurst. The play was really good and the kids enjoyed it as well as dinners with cake and ice cream at Nana's house afterwards.

It was hard to leave the wife and kids this morning but hopefully it is the direction that we have been waiting for! Please continue to pray for us as we are still apart during the week! Pray that Ang would have the strength to continue to have the kids on her own as well as homeschooling the older 2. Pray that we would have great time on the phone and good communication while we are apart. Pray that I have retained enough knowledge to do well on this "on the job interview" and impress enough to get offered a permanent place in Jacksonville. Lastly, please continue to pray for our house to sell so that we can all be back together again in the near future! Hope all of you are well and I pray that out paths cross again soon!

What a weekend!

2009-09-15T11:28:00.002-04:00

Well I can't say that I have had a weekend that was much fuller! I drove to Columbia Friday after work and then to Pinehurst in the morning on Saturday to be with the family for the weekend and celebrate birthday number 2 for Elijah. It is really hard to believe that he is 2 already and at times I feel like I am missing a lot of his early years right now which hurts a little. We had a great train/Elmo party and Elijah could not have had more fun. We had friends for Pinehurst, friends from Charlotte, family from Pennsylvania, family from Pinehurst and of course us! We also had plenty of food as well as cake and cupcakes. I will post pictures when I get them off of the camera which is with Ang.

On Sunday we went to church which is in a brand new building (the first that they came truly call home) and it is a great building. We really feel loved at that church and enjoy being there when we are in Pinehurst. It is amazing to see the growth that has occurred there and the future looks really bright for God to use that church in a huge way in the Pinehurst area. After church Fred, Linda, Pat and myself hurried off to play golf on the historic Pinehurst #2 course. We played with caddies which truly enhanced experience! It is one of the things that is on my "list" so needless to say I was pretty giddy about the whole thing! It was a gloriously beautiful day for golf and a great 4 1/2 hours with my father-in-law and company. Dad, I can't thank you enough!

It was a full weekend and the only thing that could have made it better or even topped it would have been selling the house in Charlotte. We had another showing on Sunday but still no offers. Please continue to left us up in prayer as it continues to get harder and harder on us all to still be apart!

Calling All Prayer Warriors

2009-09-01T10:48:00.003-04:00

Ok friends and family we are in need of some real prayer! Our family is still apart for most of the time now with me being on Atlanta and the family in Charlotte. It is getting harder and harder on all of us. Pray for Angie to have strength and patience as she is feeling like a single mom of three most of the the time now. Pray for the kids to behave and help Angie out in anyway. Pray for them to not have any effects of us being apart. Pray for me as I am alone during the week and feel like I am on an island at times. Pray for Angie and I to have sweet time on the phone during the week and for us to communicate well so we understand what each other is going through and stay tuned into each other this season of life. Pray that our house sells so that the family can once again be together! Pray for our hearts and time with each other on the weekends. Pray for protection for our family and marriage and that satan would not be able to use our time apart to cause any problems. We thank you all for your love and support for us and most of all thank you for your prayers. I hope and pray that you are all well and that God blesses you incredibly! Thanks for lifting the Millers up to our Father!

A Few Recent Pics

2009-08-12T02:29:00.000-04:00

At Least I know I have one follower...Thanks Megan!

2009-08-12T02:10:00.002-04:00

Well here is another update for I guess the one person who is following along!?!? The family has in Pennsylvania again for the past week and will be there for the rest of this week as well. They had a family reunion on Angie's Dad's side of the family this past Saturday and from what I heard it was a smashing success! The kids have loved being on the farm for the week. They have seen the cows, including a brand new calf, watching the green beans being harvested, picking green beans themselves and just running about in the open spaces! I wish I could have been there but I had to work. Thanks a lot Adam! They arrived in Pittsburgh today and will be there for the family reunion on Angie's Mom's side of the family this coming Sunday. I am actually going to fly up on Saturday morning and spend the weekend with them in Pittsburgh and go to the reunion. I am very excited and apparently so are the kids!

Since the family was not around this past weekend I went to visit our friends the Masters in Aiken, SC. They are the wonderful family that I stayed with during my 2 weeks of training back in April. I truly love being there because they treat me like family! I got to play golf with Chas (the son) on Saturday and it was great to just be out and having fun on the course with him. He really is a neat kid! I also had fun with the rest of the family just hanging out, going to church, doing puzzles and just being together. I must say it was a very relaxing and wonderful weekend for me and I cannot thank Ruby and Chandler enough for opening their home to me and treating me like one of the family.

Oh, work is going well and we are staying pretty busy. We continue to have about a showing a week so hopefully God is about to bring the right people! Thanks for continuing to pray for me and my family as we live this adventure called, "life".

I'm Back Baby!

2009-08-05T01:05:00.003-04:00

Well I don't know that anyone even noticed how long it had been since I blog or if anyone even reads this thing. However, I do know that it has been way too long since my last entry and this one could be really long if I went over everything that has happened so I will try to give a brief synopsis. First of all I am enjoying the new facility that I am working at in Palmetto, GA which is mostly due to the people that I get to work with. I have been put in charge of training all new hires as well as keeping current teammates up on their training as well. I still enjoy teaching so I am excited about getting to do that some at work in the near future. I continue to commute home on the weekends to at least see Angie and the kids for a few days. That continues to be really hard on us all and we continue to pray that someone will buy our house in Charlotte so that we can all reunite and see each other on a daily basis! We really appreciate all your prayers and ask that you would continue to lift us up during this crazy time in our lives. I have been fortunate enough to get to part of both of the family beach weeks this year which was really fun and some much needed time with the kids and Angie but it really does make me long to live at the beach year round! There is something about the smell of that air that truly relaxes me. Maybe some day I will get to see if it would have that affect all year! Kylie turned 5 in July which is really crazy because it means that not only is she 5 but that Elijah will be 2 in a little over a month and Rodgers will turn 7 in November. Time truly flies and I can't believe how old all of my babies are getting. Man does it remind me that I need to be better at soaking up every little thing with all 3 as much as I can! Angie and the kids are off to PA for a few weeks for family reunions on both sides and Angie's family so I will not see them for a couple weeks. Luckily, I get to fly up to Pittsburgh for the 2nd reunion and spend the weekend with them. Other than that everything is quiet with us not that any of that sounds very quiet to me as I type it but we are thankful for God's provision and protection for our family!

First Week on the Job

2009-04-17T21:41:00.003-04:00

Well the first week on the job has come to an end and I am very glad that it is the weekend and I am able to see my wife and kids! It has been hard being away from Angie and the munchkins so the hugs and kisses I received as I came through the door were much needed. I must say that it would be even harder on me if it weren't for the Masters family in Aiken, SC. They are the family that has graciously opened their house to lodge me while I am in training in Graniteville, SC. They are great people and I am indebted to them for loving on me while I am away from home and my family.

I have been learning a ton of stuff at the new job but it has been a bit overwhelming since I have no experience in the field of shipping and receiving. I am now certified to operate a forklift so if anyone has a lift and needs some stuff moved I am now your man. I also got to put my newly gained skill to work on outbound (loading trailers) side as well as the inbound (offloading trailers) sides of the facility.

I thanks you all for your thoughts and prayers for my family and me. Please know that I love you all very much and covet those prayers. Just so you know we are surviving and we are excited about what God has in store for us in the next stage of life.

A Leap of Faith

2009-03-31T20:38:00.003-04:00

Well the verdict is in and it looks like we are headed to Atlanta, GA barring an unforeseen u-turn. I have been offered a job by a distribution/warehousing company at their facility in McDonough, GA which is about 25 minutes Southeast of Atlanta off I-75. I am nervous, excited, sad, glad and a little scared all wrapped up into one! It is very sad to leave Charlotte. We have been here for almost 9 years; bought our first house here, had all 3 of our kids here, have great friends here, are in a great church family here, and there are so many other things that I will miss dearly about the QC! I am anxious to see what the Lord has in store for me and my wonderful family in Georgia. I am headed down there tomorrow to check out the facility and meet the gentlemen that I will be working with. Then we are planning on going back down next week as a family to check the area out and see if there is a place to rent for a while down there. The hard part is that I will most likely be down there without the family for a while. The one comforting thing is that I know God is in control and He has the best in mind for us so I am trying to continually lean on that! Thanks for you prayers about the job hunt and please continue to pray for us during this time of transition. Also, please say a special prayer about us being able to sell our house in Charlotte quickly! More updates are sure to come as we walk through the turns and twists of this journey we call life. Love you all!

The Job Hunt Update

2009-03-24T09:18:00.005-04:00

Apparently I have caused a stir with my Facebook status! I guess our friends and family just want to know the scoop; so here is the most recent update for everyone. God has been doing what He does best by clearing up the potential job picture for us as well as where we might be. It looks like we are down to 2 possible places. The ATL (Atlanta for those of you that are not down with the lingo) and Windy Gap, NC. So here is where we stand, I heard from a warehousing/transportation company that they had opportunities in Henderson, NC and Atlanta, GA. Henderson is not a very appealing place to make a new home and after a few questions it also doesn't have much upside as far as advancement goes. Those things pretty much eliminated Henderson! Therefore, that left the Atlanta option as far as the warehousing/transportation company. The only other thing that is out there right now is a Guest Services position at Windy Gap. I am trying to find out the possibilities of getting this job and if the salary would even be enough for us. I am hoping to find out more about Windy Gap today. All that to say, we should know something late this week about a new job and where we will be taking the Miller show! We are excited, sad and nervous all at the same time but we are trying to listen to what God is teaching and doing in this situation! Thanks for your continued prayers and priceless friendships!

Long Weekend

2009-03-22T13:10:00.002-04:00

This weekend it was just me and the kids which usually goes great but this weekend was a little different. Angie went to Pinehurst with Kerry and Caroline to hang out and go to the spa. Unfortunately, the big kids have had some kind of 46 hr. virus that basically involves a fever up around 102 or 103. It started with Rodgers on Thursday and his fever stayed until Sunday morning. Then last night Kylie had a fever of 103. So one gets it as the other gets over it which is just my luck. To top it all off last night at dinner Rodgers just threw up out of the blue. Thankfully it was only a one time thing but it just added to the "fun" of the weekend. I guess it could have been worse if the throw-ups had continued and other fun things accompanied it so I am thankful for that. Nevertheless, when you can't get out of the house with 3 kids for a whole weekend it makes for a long weekend. So I just watched basketball and played Wii with the kids a lot. I guess it wasn't all bad since March madness is in full swing! Anyway, I wouldn't trade time with my kids for anything so "long" weekend or not it is always good with my babies!

Some Random Pics

2009-03-19T13:35:00.000-04:00

A Seemingly Inevitable Move!?!?

2009-03-19T13:22:00.002-04:00

Well as much as I hate to say it and I do hate to say it, it is looking more and more like the Miller's are heading towards an inevitable move. It is hard to believe that we have been in Charlotte for 8+ years. We have a great church, great friends, a great house in a great neighborhood and the kids are in a great school. All of these things make it hard to move but most of the jobs that I have had positive interviews with are not in Charlotte. I know that you are all dying to know where and when but there is no way that you are more eager to know than Angie. I am not sure where we will end up but some of the possibilities are Augusta, GA, Atlanta, GA, Columbia, SC and maybe even Windy Gap, NC. Only the Lord knows where we will be and I am trying to simply trust in Him and know that it will be right where we need to be! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!

34 and Counting

2009-03-15T21:00:00.002-04:00

Thursday was my birthday and yes I know that it is hard to believe that I am indeed 34 years old! Thanks goes out to Angie, Rodgers, Kylie, and Elijah for organizing a great cake party with balloons, party blowers, chocolate cake and of course some good friends! God truly has blessed me with an amazing family and some pretty great friends. Of course there was some great gifts too! A new driver, sunglasses, and a Wii! Let the family Wii fun begin!

Rain, Rain Go Away!

2009-03-15T20:48:00.003-04:00

In my opinion, 4 or 5 days of rain in a row is more than enough for me! I know that the rain replenishes the grass and plants and helps with the pollen count and everything like that but I am a shorts and t-shirt kind of guy! Therefore, 4o degrees and rainy does not fall into my favorite clothing weather days! Despite the constant rain we managed to have a great weekend in Columbia. It was mostly spent hanging with the family and catching up with my mom, brothers and nephews. Angie got some much needed girl time with Caroline and Erin on Saturday. Mom cooked up some great veggie soup for Friday and her signature spaghetti on Saturday. The big kids got to go to see Beauty and the Beast puppet show on Saturday while Elijah and I cruised around Cola for the afternoon. Today it was church to see my oldest nephew William get baptized! I must say it was a cool thing to see. After that more family time and then back to the QC to settle back in for the week. Needless to say everyone is pretty worn out. On another note, I have a phone interview on Tuesday with a company called Genco. I have interviewed with their HR department already and it went very well. This interview is with the guy that I would be working on so your prayers are greatly appreciated! I will update you how it goes! God is truly at work.

Interview + G'Cock Baseball= Full Day

2009-03-10T20:06:00.002-04:00

I believe that the title is self explanatory but I will expound for you anyway. Tomorrow should be and long but fun day and hopefully one that might produce a potential job for me. First things first, I have any interview in Columbia with a marketing/promotions company that does a lot of work with non-profit organizations. I don't know a ton about the company or the job itself but I thought it was worth checking out in person!?!? It also doesn't hurt that it is located in Columbia which is where I grew up and of course GAMECOCK COUNTRY! After that I am going to check out the Cocks new baseball stadium in person with my boy Steven. I can't wait to see the new digs and chill with one of the best friends a guy could ask for! Then it is back to the QC (that's Charlotte for those of you who aren't in the loop) so I can be home for my kids to sing "Happy Birthday to me Thursday morning. We'll all have to wait and see what God has up his sleeve. Man this journey called life is fun isn't it?!?!

The Maiden Voyage

2009-03-09T20:54:00.001-04:00

Well, as you can see I have decided to start a blog for what is going on in my life. I don't know how well this will go or how diligent that I will be in updating it. As many of you know, I was laid off from Pulte Homes in late December and have been actively looking for work since. I have no clue what is next but I am looking forward to what God has in store and know that He is ultimately in control of this situation. I long to find a job that not only provides for my beautiful wife and 3 amazing kids but also allows me to feel that I am being used by God. My prayer is that I would get out of the way and be still long enough to hear God's whispers and feel His proddings in order to know that I am where I am meant to be! I thank you in advance for your prayers and truly cherish each of your friendships. I hope you enjoy the journey with me!