Rick Beeman

#2 What a surprise! I flew back in November to surprise Jennifer…and boy were we both surprised. We had been so careful as to “protect” ourselves. Then my last night there…well we got a little… how shall I say this, less fastidious on the consequences for a few good reasons. Well they seemed good at the time anyways. After all, we still wanted to travel the world, and being situated in Dubai (right in the middle of everything) made that all possible. So this is a little PG-13 in the form of imagery, nevertheless, afterwards I turned to her and proclaimed. I think I just made you pregnant. She of course blew me off. I didn’t really want to believe it myself. So I fly back to Dubai the next day. As Im having my morning chat with God, I very clearly and matter of factly heard Him say, “Jennifer’s pregnant.” So all of sudden, I start convincing myself maybe I can’t really hear from God. Then He clearly said “Whether you want to accept it right now or not, she’s pregnant. Yo...

Wow, Im wordy. I guess that is a good thing since I bill myself as a professional writer. I thought I could get through this top 10 list with maybe one or two pages. But as I write I find myself reliving the experiences. I love details and stories. So I keep wanting to add detail at every turn. So hopefully I can get through this list quickly as Im trying to stay in sync with Jennifer’s blog jenni-sloan.blogspot.com/ I am copying her format anyway so props to her. I would also encourage you to keep your own top 10 list, and do it every year. What a wonderful way to relive moments in your life especially a few years down the road when we forget everything. If you think about it, can you really remember even the best thing that happened to you in 1999 or 2003? What about the fifth best thing that happened two years ago? Memories fade but words have a lasting impact. I wish I would have started this years ago. On with the list. #4 Spending a month with the kids a...

This is a continuation of my top 10 in 2010. As I said yesterday, I believe it is important to look back at the positive things in life in order to help you have courage to face whatever adversities you have in life. I know I get quite “preachy” in this blog and that offends some people. However, I have found the people that get most offended by the “preachiness” usually have something about which to feel a little guilty. So there is always a reason why you strike a nerve. I write this blog as I live my life, as the Holy Spirit directs. Now Christians have an incredibly unfair advantage over non-believers. I firmly believe that if you are a Christian usually everything comes up roses in the end (as long as you are living your life right). If it doesn’t, then God gives you the peace and serenity to accept it. Now a non-believer could be happy, absolutely. But with Christians the joy is sustaining. Long term peace and joy beat moments of happiness hands down. OK..on...

Plagiarism and Looking Back Jennifer had a top 10 list in her blog and I kind of got jealous. It seems like everyone loves lists, just look at Yahoo’s news highlights and you get a list for everything. But as I was contemplating my personal list I got to thinking of the spiritual aspects of keeping a list. I think its important to look back at what God has done in my life both for a testimony and to give me faith to move forward. That’s why keeping a prayer journal is important. Jennifer and I over the course of the next week or so are facing a pretty substantial life decision. As much as I preach against fear, this one has me kind of worried. I know God will see me through, but Im a little bit anxious, and I hate being anxious especially since I always talk a good game. But alas, I am human and I fail. I try to be absolutely transparent in this blog and I know that it minsters to several of you out there. For that I’m exceedingly glad. One thing that surprised...

I felt very silly sitting in a Fat Burger restaurant with tears streaming down my face. This is not your everyday experience so let me explain. I am a creature of habit so I have a routine I follow. I am alone for another 2.5 months so I’m going to continue to follow this routine as I have been generally for the past three years since I came to the Middle East. For breakfast I spend time with God, reading my Bible then praying/listening to Him. For lunch I spend time with whatever reality show Im addicted to at the moment (either Amazing Race or Survivor). I can buy the past seasons on itunes for about $20. So I don’t have to wait week by week to see the cliff hanger. I usually watch one episode after the other (Yeah, Immediate Gratification!). So this particular episode of Survivor aired in the US sometime early December. It usually makes me cry but even moreso this year. It’s the episode they always do where the remaining survivors are reunited with their loved ones. Its ...

I have a theory. A theory that has rang true in my life over and over again, but its not something I can prove. You will just have to take my word for or try it out yourself. Rick’s Postulate: The amount of God’s peace one experiences is directly proportionate to the size of the crisis one is experiencing. Thus the bigger the crisis, the bigger the allotment of peace. Something happened today about which I can’t go into details. It has nothing to do with Jennifer however. But she certainly has been instrumental in the solution or assisting in the allocation of God’s peace. So I had potentially a really bad day. I mean really bad. But for some reason…it didn’t emotionally feel that bad. In fact is was a pretty good day. It doesn’t really make sense in the natural. I should be really depressed and worrying but Im not. Psalm 55:22 says Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you. 1 Peter 5:7 says essentially the same thing “Cast all your anxiety on h...

Thank you so much for sharing. I indeed feel your pain. During the darkest hours of my divorce the late Jerry Falwell took me in his Suburban and we drove around Lynchburg. He told me "life moves on." I didn't believe him. Well maybe life moves on, but I will be an emotional cripple for the rest of my life. Well it took time, faith and God's restoration for me to finally get what he was trying to say. God will use this opportunity of your aloneness to fill you with His spirit. Take the time to be alone with God when you are alone. Worship even though your don't feel like worshipping. Listen to as many online sermons from Charles Stanley and Joel Osteen as you can. Read the Bible, Seek God. You can be alone, but you don't have to be lonely. Life for you, and everyone really, is quite simple. "Seek God First...and all these things will be added unto." So whenever you are frightened, lonely, angry, depressed, happy, joyful, or peaceful s...