JToddVinson.com: Books Archives

Beware of Barbarians

"When the church becomes an institution, people are nothing more than volunteers to be recruited. When a church is a movement, our stewardship becomes the unleashing of our God-given gifts, talents, and passions. My goal is not to cast a vision that everyone buys into, but to create a visional community where everyone who enters in begins to have a wild and God-sized dreams and visions. There is a price to pay, of course, when you choose this particular path; you end up with an unruly barbarian tribe. They keep getting called by God to do things you didn't expect or really didn't want them to do."

~Erwin Raphael McManus, Author of The Barbarian Way
Lead Pastor of Mosaic Church, Los Angeles, CA

Posted by Todd Vinson at 12:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Barbarian Way

I have started reading a book for a men's group that meets monthly in Tulsa. The book is called "The Barbarian Way." I would add it to your reading list.

The following is an excerpt that deals with the topic of fear:

"We are called to fear only God. There is an important reason for
this. What we fear is what we're subject to; our fears define our
master. Where there is no fear, there is no control.

Continue reading "The Barbarian Way" »

Posted by Todd Vinson at 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

MENTOR:The Kid & The CEO

I just read a great book while I was flying home from a familiy wedding. My mother-in-law gave it to me on the condition that I give it to someone else. I am getting a copies for all our staff and board. The book is called MENTOR: The Kid & The CEO. You don't have to have a boys ranch to have an impact. We all have life experience to share with someone. We all need look for opportunities to mentor a younger person. We also need to be mentored. We need both in our lives. This is a great book with some great resources in the back of the book along with a good reading list. Check out their link.

Posted by Todd Vinson at 08:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Big Picture

I've started reading a new book. It's titled, What Really Counts for Men. I bought the book to use with youn men on the ranch. Turns out, I am the one who needs the life lessons of this book. Here's a peek:

"Teach us how short our lives really are so that we may be wise." ~Psalms 90:12 NCV

"We take excellent care of our bodies which we have for only a lifetime; yet we let our souls shrivel which we have for eternity." ~Billy Graham

WHAT MATTERS MOST...

*Seeking God first. This is the key to abundant life; that is how you have it all.
*Tending to your soul. That's the real you-your eternal self.
*Loving other people. Long after the things of earth are gone, they will live on.
*Building the Kingdom of God. No earthly Kingdom compares.
*Living eternal life. There's more to life than life on earth.

WHAT DOESN'T MATTER...

*Your pile of stuff. The person who dies with the most toys dies anyway.
*Your earthly status. Your real status is defined in heaven.
*Your long-term plans. Only God knows the number of your days.
*Being first. In the end, the first will be last.
*Anything whose significance dies when your body dies.

"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." ~William James

Posted by Todd Vinson at 03:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hanging on a Prayer

The weathermen on all the local stations have just reported that the first of three waves of ice has passed through the state. The ground and roof-tops are as white as snow. With everything shut down, I figured it was a great time for me to wind down and do some reading. I just finished " The Bumps are What You Climb On" by Warren W. Wiersbe. I am always drawn to the topic of prayer. Living on the ranch, we get to see first hand the power of prayer. I was particularly drawn to one of the final chapters, Essentials of Prayer. Here is an excerpt:

Perhaps the most difficult problem in praying is the problem of delay. We tell God our needs, we trust Him to work, and yet nothing seems to be happening. God knows how and when to answer prayer. God's clock never needs winding or resetting-He always know what time it is. It has well been said, "God's delays are not God's denials." God's ways are not our ways, and He knows what is best.

As you determine to pray, start with the abiding and allow the Word of God to get into your heart and purify you. Then do the asking-tell God what is on your heart. Leave the matter with Him and He will take care of the answering in His good time.

Posted by Todd Vinson at 09:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Bumps Are What You Climb On

The Bumps are What You Climb On by Warren W. Wiersbe is a book that gives encouragement during difficult days. It's a great book that I found on Amazon. It is worth ordering. I got a used on for less than five bucks. They even highlighted the good parts for me at no extra charge.

Here is an excerpt from Chaper One:

"A little boy was leading his sister up a mountain path and the way was not too easy. 'Why, this isn't a path at all,' the girl complained. 'It's rocky and bumpy.' And her brother replied, 'Sure, the bumps are what you climb on.' That's a remarkable piece of philisophy. What do you do with the bumps on the path of life?

...I don't know what difficulties you are going through just now, but I know some of the feelings you have, because I have been on this bumpy road myself. You feel like quitting, like giving up. You can't understand why the road doesn't get easier, why God doesn't remove the stones and straighten the path. If God did that, you might neer get to the top, because the bumps are what you climb on.

...Most of us respond in a predictable way to the rocks in the path. We complain about them; we kick against them and only hurt ourselves. We try to pick them up and get rid of them, only to discover they are too heavy for us. We can't get around them, and we wonder if we can get over them. Some people just stop and go no further. Others give up and turn back. But a child of God does not have to stop or go back; he can use the rocky places in life as stepping-stones to climb higher.

The trouble with most of us is that we are accustomed to paved roads and level sidewalks. But life is not made that way. Sometimes the road is level and easy, and the birds are singing and the way is wonderful. But sometimes the road is rocky and bumpy, and we hear no music and feel no helping hand. Then what? Complain? Give up? No, that's the time to remember God's promise: "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." God's invisible army is at your service, and God can see you through.

...On the road of life there are level places that delight us and there are difficult places that challange us. ...The bumps are what we climb on.

"He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him."

~Psalms 91:15

Posted by Todd Vinson at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

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February 27, 2008

Beware of Barbarians

February 26, 2008

The Barbarian Way

August 13, 2007

MENTOR:The Kid & The CEO

February 09, 2007

The Big Picture

January 12, 2007

Hanging on a Prayer

January 03, 2007

The Bumps Are What You Climb On


About J. Todd Vinson J. Todd Vinson is the Founder and Executive Director of Willow Springs Boys' Ranch and Jacob's Ladder Camps and Retreats in Chandler, OK. Willow Springs Boys' Ranch provides a long-term home for boys who are displaced or whose families are in crisis. WSBR serves boys from across Oklahoma and the United States. Jacob's Ladder Camps and Retreats strives to strengthen inter-personal relationships, develop character, leadership, and introduce the importance of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Jacob's Ladder facilitates groups for high school and college athletics, youth groups, service groups, prepares mission teams, couples and families retreats, rites of passage retreats, and corporate retreats. Jacob's Ladders function is to help fund the mission of Willow Springs Boys Ranch. Todd holds a B.A in Psychology and a Masters in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma. Todd is a former Young Life staffer in Norman, OK. He also is a former Kanakuk Kamp counselor. Both of these organizations have had a profound influence on his life as he works with youth and families. Todd and his wife, Jeannie, have been married for fourteen years and have four girls: Mattie, Ellie, Avery and Murphy. They are active members of Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond, OK. Search Categories Books By The Way... Devotional God Stories Hikes Jacob's Ladder Update Messages Worh Listening To Movies Oswald Chambers Quotes Quotable Quotes WSBR Update Writings from L. L. Weatherly Archives January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 Latest Posts RAW WOOD to benefit WSBR DON'T MISS THE MESSAGE Merry Christmas from the Vinsons WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM? Bob Stoops:Ten Years at Oklahoma 4th Annual OU Baseball Service Project at WSBR THE KEY TO THE MASTER'S ORDERS WSBR Fall Newsletter 2008 You Have Our Attention Lord RECONCILIATION Feeds	Main February 27, 2008 Beware of Barbarians "When the church becomes an institution, people are nothing more than volunteers to be recruited. When a church is a movement, our stewardship becomes the unleashing of our God-given gifts, talents, and passions. My goal is not to cast a vision that everyone buys into, but to create a visional community where everyone who enters in begins to have a wild and God-sized dreams and visions. There is a price to pay, of course, when you choose this particular path; you end up with an unruly barbarian tribe. They keep getting called by God to do things you didn't expect or really didn't want them to do." ~Erwin Raphael McManus, Author of The Barbarian Way Lead Pastor of Mosaic Church, Los Angeles, CA Posted by Todd Vinson at 12:23 AM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) \| TrackBacks (0) February 26, 2008 The Barbarian Way I have started reading a book for a men's group that meets monthly in Tulsa. The book is called "The Barbarian Way." I would add it to your reading list. The following is an excerpt that deals with the topic of fear: "We are called to fear only God. There is an important reason for this. What we fear is what we're subject to; our fears define our master. Where there is no fear, there is no control. Continue reading "The Barbarian Way" » Posted by Todd Vinson at 12:12 AM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) \| TrackBacks (0) August 13, 2007 MENTOR:The Kid & The CEO I just read a great book while I was flying home from a familiy wedding. My mother-in-law gave it to me on the condition that I give it to someone else. I am getting a copies for all our staff and board. The book is called MENTOR: The Kid & The CEO. You don't have to have a boys ranch to have an impact. We all have life experience to share with someone. We all need look for opportunities to mentor a younger person. We also need to be mentored. We need both in our lives. This is a great book with some great resources in the back of the book along with a good reading list. Check out their link. Posted by Todd Vinson at 08:14 PM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) \| TrackBacks (0) February 09, 2007 The Big Picture I've started reading a new book. It's titled, What Really Counts for Men. I bought the book to use with youn men on the ranch. Turns out, I am the one who needs the life lessons of this book. Here's a peek: "Teach us how short our lives really are so that we may be wise." ~Psalms 90:12 NCV "We take excellent care of our bodies which we have for only a lifetime; yet we let our souls shrivel which we have for eternity." ~Billy Graham WHAT MATTERS MOST... Seeking God first. This is the key to abundant life; that is how you have it all. Tending to your soul. That's the real you-your eternal self. Loving other people. Long after the things of earth are gone, they will live on. Building the Kingdom of God. No earthly Kingdom compares. Living eternal life. There's more to life than life on earth. WHAT DOESN'T MATTER...* Your pile of stuff. The person who dies with the most toys dies anyway. Your earthly status. Your real status is defined in heaven. Your long-term plans. Only God knows the number of your days. Being first. In the end, the first will be last. Anything whose significance dies when your body dies. "The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." ~William James* Posted by Todd Vinson at 03:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) \| TrackBacks (0) January 12, 2007 Hanging on a Prayer The weathermen on all the local stations have just reported that the first of three waves of ice has passed through the state. The ground and roof-tops are as white as snow. With everything shut down, I figured it was a great time for me to wind down and do some reading. I just finished " The Bumps are What You Climb On" by Warren W. Wiersbe. I am always drawn to the topic of prayer. Living on the ranch, we get to see first hand the power of prayer. I was particularly drawn to one of the final chapters, Essentials of Prayer. Here is an excerpt: Perhaps the most difficult problem in praying is the problem of delay. We tell God our needs, we trust Him to work, and yet nothing seems to be happening. God knows how and when to answer prayer. God's clock never needs winding or resetting-He always know what time it is. It has well been said, "God's delays are not God's denials." God's ways are not our ways, and He knows what is best. As you determine to pray, start with the abiding and allow the Word of God to get into your heart and purify you. Then do the asking-tell God what is on your heart. Leave the matter with Him and He will take care of the answering in His good time. Posted by Todd Vinson at 09:09 PM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) \| TrackBacks (0) January 03, 2007 The Bumps Are What You Climb On The Bumps are What You Climb On by Warren W. Wiersbe is a book that gives encouragement during difficult days. It's a great book that I found on Amazon. It is worth ordering. I got a used on for less than five bucks. They even highlighted the good parts for me at no extra charge. Here is an excerpt from Chaper One: "A little boy was leading his sister up a mountain path and the way was not too easy. 'Why, this isn't a path at all,' the girl complained. 'It's rocky and bumpy.' And her brother replied, 'Sure, the bumps are what you climb on.' That's a remarkable piece of philisophy. What do you do with the bumps on the path of life? ...I don't know what difficulties you are going through just now, but I know some of the feelings you have, because I have been on this bumpy road myself. You feel like quitting, like giving up. You can't understand why the road doesn't get easier, why God doesn't remove the stones and straighten the path. If God did that, you might neer get to the top, because the bumps are what you climb on. ...Most of us respond in a predictable way to the rocks in the path. We complain about them; we kick against them and only hurt ourselves. We try to pick them up and get rid of them, only to discover they are too heavy for us. We can't get around them, and we wonder if we can get over them. Some people just stop and go no further. Others give up and turn back. But a child of God does not have to stop or go back; he can use the rocky places in life as stepping-stones to climb higher. The trouble with most of us is that we are accustomed to paved roads and level sidewalks. But life is not made that way. Sometimes the road is level and easy, and the birds are singing and the way is wonderful. But sometimes the road is rocky and bumpy, and we hear no music and feel no helping hand. Then what? Complain? Give up? No, that's the time to remember God's promise: "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways." God's invisible army is at your service, and God can see you through. ...On the road of life there are level places that delight us and there are difficult places that challange us. ...The bumps are what we climb on. "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him." ~Psalms 91:15 Posted by Todd Vinson at 09:22 PM \| Permalink \| Comments (1) \| TrackBacks (0)
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