Mac Richard from Lake Hills Church in Austin,TX brought our attention to this incredibly moving video. I was so inspired by this powerful story of great character that happened on a softball field in Washington.

Click here to watch the video.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Have a great weekend.

We will see you on Monday for the first day of “The Week of Hot Sex!”

I will be real honest. I’m angry about this. I’m finding it hard to find radical grace in my heart when I heard this story. Here is the deal.

Lori Drew, 49,  created a MySpace account to convince her neighbor 13 year old Megan Meier, that she was chatting with a 16-year-old boy named Josh Evans. After building a relationship online with the 13 year old, Lori(pretending to be Josh) began sending cruel messages including one stating “the world would be better off without her.” 

Megan was being treated for attention deficit disorder and depression at the time (which Lori knew.) But that didn’t stop her from perpetrating this cruelty. And because of Lori(Josh) cyber-bullyinging, Megan hung herself.  Yesterday, Lori was finally charged with a crime because of her actions.

Taking advantage of children and preying on the weak disgusts me. My heart breaks for the emotional pain little Megan must have felt to take her own life. And I can’t imagine what her parents must be feeling knowing that this was done to their 13 year old girl. 

And yet I have to believe Lori and her family are suffering too.

Truth be told, I’m having a hard time finding radical grace in my heart for Lori on this one. I want to. But I’m not feeling it. Help me.

This is a picture of Megan.

Ken Coleman (who is an incredible guy) did a very cool video for financial guru Dave Ramsey about car payments. I think you will enjoy it.

Check out these stats that float around on the internet:  

1500 pastors leave the ministry every month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout or contention in their churches.

80% of pastors feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.

70% of pastors constantly fight depression.

80% of pastor’s spouses feel their spouse is overworked.

The majority of pastor’s spouses surveyed said that the most destructive event that has occurred in their family was the day they entered the ministry.

These are backed up to some degree by different books like “Pastors at Greater Risk,” by H. B. London.

Do you think these stats are true? If so, do you have thoughts on why is this the case?

Starting Monday the blog is going to be devoted to talking about hot and steamy sex. It will be a week of brutally frank and honest conversations on all things sex. Nothing is taboo or off limits. Just beautiful and wonderful sex talk.

Jud, Anne, and myself will be blogging about relevant topics and hopefully helping us all become better and healthier in this area of our lives. It might be uncomfortable at times but soooooo necessary. We will also be joined by the Boom Chicka Wah Wah Assassin as he weighs in with his thoughts.

Here are a few of the things we will hit.

5 steamy ways to spice up your sex life
Straight men who like gay porn.
Internet and Emotional affairs
Anal sex, Oral sex and S And M and so much much much more.

But we really want to hear from you? What would you like to talk about next week? What can we as a community discuss when it comes to hot sex?

This year we have been invited to do “A Deadly Viper Evening” at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, GA. The conference is October 8-10. We are also thinking/considering hosting an informal gathering with all of you where we crash the local Applebee’s, eat chicken wings, and dance on top of the tables.

Anyone interested? Any ideas on where to meet?

According the Associated Press, 21-year old Charles Ray Fuller had some huge ideas about launching a record company. The only problem? He tried to fund it with someone else’s check. He was arrested for forging one of his girlfriend’s mother’s checks to the tune of $360 billion dollars.

Yep, he actually wrote that on the check. Somehow I don’t think this relationship has Mom’s approval anymore.  Ever done anything crazy for cash?

This is why Deadly Viper endorses and loves the amazing Chuck Norris. And not the talentless hack Steven Seagal.

This chart says it all.

I was over at Terrace Crawford’s blog and learned something about the great homerun hitter Babe Ruth.

Babe Ruth struck out 24% of the time. The average hitter of his time struck out 12% of the time. That means one of the greatest baseball players who ever lived struck out twice as much as everybody else. Babe Ruth is remembered for homeruns, not strikeouts.

So for all of us who have failed, struck out, and have screwed it up, let us remember it is all part of the story. And it doesn’t have to be what defines us.

Every year for the last couple of years, my friend Crystal has visited me on Memorial Day weekend. We have implemented the tradition of body modification to celebrate our time together. The first year, I introduced her to her first tattoo (I got my second), and then last year, she got her nose pierced while I got my “grace” wrist tattoo.

This year, I think we are both getting tattoos. I can’t believe this will be my fourth. I am pretty sure I know what I’m getting, and she’s still deciding on hers.

My very first one that I got six years ago, I believed the artist when he said it was an original. Fast forward to a couple of years ago when Chris was watching TV. He busted out laughing and yelling for me to get downstairs. Lo and behold, my tattoo was right there on TV.

It’s the logo for Jesus Christ Superstar. For real. I have that on my back. You can see what the logo looks like here. (At least it’s pretty cool looking and obviously no, I don’t have the text - just the symbol, minus the squiggly thing at the bottom).

Do you have any embarrassing tattoo stories?