Is God Real?

During our pursuit of a national championship last year, several of my tennis team-mates often joked about my faith.  I was surrounded by high-achievers with astonishing IQ's.  One of my buddies remarked that scientists were about to discover the God particle.  He was sure this would convince me there is no God.  I find it interesting that scientists call it the "God particle."  For me, a discovery like this only shows how God created the universe, not how the universe created itself.  There are a lot of people much smarter than this blogger who ponder the question, "Is God real?"  I think the best answer can be found by discovering who Jesus is.  Consider these questions:

1. Is there enough historical evidence to support the birth of Jesus Christ approximately 2,000 years ago?
2. Did Jesus ever tell a lie?
3. Did Jesus ever break a promise?
4. Did Jesus rise from the dead?
5. Can the blind see Jesus?
6. Can the deaf hear Jesus?
7. Can believing in Jesus really move mountains?
8. What will happen to my life if I decide to follow Jesus?
9. What will all my "smart" friends think?
10. Is following Jesus the only way to get to Heaven?

I'm a simple man.  I love being a husband.  I love being a dad.  I don't have a lot of possessions.  I live in a remote location far away from my siblings and a large contingent of amazing cousins.  I was at the back of the line socializing with others when my cousins got their helpings of intelligence.  I ask a lot of questions.  And if I'm the last person on earth, I will do my best to help my "smart" friends find the answers to these questions.  Yes, there is a God particle.  It's named after the One who invented it.  And He invented love.  He is the essence of love.  He loves you.  Love may be invisible but love exists just as Jesus exists.  Follow Him.  Jesus is real.  His Father is real.  Ask Jesus to give you the answers to your questions.

Peaks and Valleys

Life is filled with peaks and valleys.  Just like the four seasons, or the ocean tides, there are periods of good times and learning times.  Wisdom comes from learning how to navigate the peaks and valleys.  Joy comes from knowing there is always something to appreciate no matter how high or how low you may be at any given time in your life.

At sunrise this morning, Socalmulligan808 reached a new cyber-peak -- 5,000 pageviews in a single month.  It's about to hit 50,000 pageviews.  This would be impossible if I only chose to write about the peaks in my life.  The truth is that most of my stories were written while I was in my deepest valleys, the place where the view of the mountains is the best.

My greatest source of happiness in my life is hiking with you, especially when you remain on the path with me during challenging times.  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my life with you, one day at a time.  Now it's your turn to share a time in your life when you climbed a mountain or lived through a valley.  What is your inspiration for staying on the trail?  Send me an email or add your comments below.

What Are You Afraid Of?

The first time I took a flight with my wife, she held on to my hand and squeezed so tight I lost circulation during take-off.  Over the years, her fear of flying subsided.  My greatest fear used to be needles.  My work buddies cajoled me into volunteering for a blood bank and I finally caved in, only to be rejected because the blood mobile staff thought it wouldn't be worth their time to draw out my blood.  I asked for a note to share with my team-mates so the ridicule would finally end.  The note only added to the torture.

It took many years for me to overcome my fear.  Fear has an inverse relationship to trust.  The best way to eliminate your fears is to trust Jesus.  Before forming my relationship with Him, I felt like I was racing through life just so I could produce a list of accomplishments before my death.  Now, I see my life here on earth as nothing more than a couple of blinks of an eye.  Compared to eternal life, these years are only a beginning of something that is to come.  It makes fear seem like a waste of time.

Are you serious about facing fear?  Ask Jesus to be with you as you confront your worst fears.  Take baby steps.  You deserve a life without fear.

Where are you?

Do you remember the first time you did something your parents asked you not to do?  Did you get caught?  If you did get caught, how did you handle the conversation with mom and dad?  Adam thought he could stay under the radar when he disobeyed God.  Just like a parent calls out when we goof up, the Creator came searching and asked, "Adam, where are you?"

It really doesn't matter how old you are.  If your parents are still alive, they will seek you out if you haven't been in touch in a while.

God always knows where you are.  He asks you where you are because He wants you to be aware of how far away from Him you are.  The further you stray, the harder it is to hear His voice.  Remember this:  You are God's child.  He is seeking you.  He wants to be in a relationship with you.  He doesn't care if you ate the apple when He asked you not to.  He doesn't care about your mistakes.  He only cares about being with you.  He loves you.  All you have to do is turn around and go back to Him.  Everything is forgivable.

If you are having trouble finding your way back to God, read this verse.  It's one of my favorites because it reminds me God sent His only Son to help us find our way back to our Creator:


For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord ~ Romans 8:38-39

Let the Games Begin

This blog wasn't born until a full year after the last Summer Olympics were held in Beijing in 2008.  Where has the time gone?  I can't wait to watch top athletes from all over the world going for the gold.  Every time I hear the theme song from the Olympics, my skin tingles.  I love competition.  I enjoy being around people who strive to be their absolute best.

What is your favorite Olympic moment?  With the explosion of social media and over 5,000 hours of TV coverage, fans from all over the world will be connected now more than ever.  Click here and bookmark the official Olympics site.  Let the games begin.

Checking In On The Penguins

Yesterday at work my boss told me the home office is sending us some kind of award we will hang up on our wall.  We broke the world record for reaching 10,000 new members faster than any other store in the company.  We reached this milestone on the eleventh day following our grand opening.

I believe the number one reason we accomplished this amazing feat is because of our team.  This is the story I shared during one of our first days signing up new members at their workplace:

"There was a group of penguins that were transported to a new zoo.  When they arrived, they immediately dove into the pool and started swimming.  The other penguins at the zoo stood around and watched as the newcomers swam non-stop.  One by one, they were joined by the other penguins.  Pretty soon, the whole group was swimming.  Visitors to the zoo watched in amazement as these energetic penguins swam lap after lap tirelessly.


We are the new penguins.  Our job is to swim at our brand new zoo.  When our members see us swimming, they will want to jump in and join us.  Let's go swimming!"

We promised our bosses we would have 4,000 new penguins by the time we had our grand opening on June 27.  Thirteen minutes before the doors opened, we signed up our 4,000th new member.  On July 8, 10,000 members were enjoying the new zoo in Coralville.  Four days later, another 1,000 penguins joined the party. And five days later another 1,000 penguins were in the new exhibit.  The lead penguin was impressed with the new record and told us if we could get to 13,000 members by close of business on Sunday night, July 22, he would color his hair any color we chose.

If you happen to be visiting our new zoo in Coralville next weekend, please check in on the penguins.  Make sure to tell the lead penguin you like his new hair color.  In conclusion, I would like to offer one final word of advice to anyone who finds himself or herself in a new zoo.  Jump in and keep swimming.  Don't stop swimming until everyone else joins you in the water.

Peace Be With You

 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid ~ John 14:27

Peace does not have to be illusive.  It's available to anyone who seeks it and it's free of charge.  I searched for it for many years before finding it.  Now that I have it, I understand the meaning of the quote from John 14:27.  My heart is not troubled and I'm not afraid.  Peace is part of a package deal.  Here's how you can obtain it:

1. Ask Jesus to come into your heart.  Make Him a permanent resident and never let go of Him.
2. Get rid of all your baggage.  This includes swearing, a foul mouth, anger, frustration, grudges, jealousy, pride, prejudice, and all the negativity crowding your life.
3. Let go of all the negative people who are holding you back from the person you are created to be.
4. Trust God's plan for your life and pursue it.
5. Thank Jesus for the peace He brings you once He is in your heart.  He appreciates gratitude.

Once you receive the gift of peace, share it.  You have the power to change the world around you.  The more peace you give away to others, the more you will receive.  Peace be with you.