So after years of using WordPress I have chosen Wix to continue publishing the bulk of my posts. I typically publish 3 or more times per week -all kinds of articles-, the key is if I think someone might benefit from my thoughts. So, if of interest, here’s my main home on the internet and links to my many other sites, writings and more: https://gkaisersoze.wixsite.com/kaiz

At present I’m keeping my various other WP sites up and running while this one will stick around as a repository of the zillion posts in it.

For those who wish to journey along with me, see you there! -Glenn

My nearly (in the U.S.) Thanksgiving holiday brings me to share:

I work with, know and love many people both within and far outside of our local fellowship here in Chicago. Many battle depression, anxiety, continue to be affected by mental, emotional, memory baggage even years beyond various specific events. “Ears to Hear” (a message I just preached up in Wisconsin) speaks to all this -Jesus gives them. Alas, still there are the various levels of stress in our world at large and personal.

If you read, listen to or otherwise know me very deeply you’ll not always hear me complain or fret though believe me, I do so both internally and at times externally. I figure it doesn’t lift others up to continually allow myself to vent. And yet my sweet wife and a few other very close friends/mentors/spiritual advisors well know the burdens I have and now do carry. So there’s that, and I find great solace in such therapy along with music, a variety of arts, creativity, crafts and of course web-work.

We live in a crazy and often horribly unjust, wrecking-crew world -and whether you’re a history buff (I am) or not, nothing much has changed though via the Web, etc., we now have the information (and propaganda) coming at us multiplied. This is why I spend a great deal of time in prayer, studying scripture, interacting with the Lord and godly friends who walk imperfectly as I do -and yet with stability. I’ve learned to take “micro-breaks” with people and things that bring me genuine peace and real joy.

So asked a particular question in a leadership gathering the other day I found myself saying -almost with a bit of regret knowing it’s often unusual in these times- that I don’t believe I’ve ever been more personally content. Yes. Content. I can ultimately say I believe this is deeply about daily and continual intentional relationship to my risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Ok, so there’s that. Pretty amazing and blessed -yet not without temptations, struggle, remorse, repentance, on-going need to change and embrace all the Spirit of God according to the scriptures works to do in me… “His good pleasure”, His will.

NEXT- I’ve got a lot more to learn regarding Wix.Com but can tell you I deeply appreciate that at the time I’m writing this one can build several websites there with only Wix adds. Not so WordPress which I love SO many things about -but not the increasingly risque and foolish adds attached to free sites. Therefore after much consideration I’ll again (the 4th time over my years of blogging) likely begin to establish my main go-to site there. When I do so, I’ll post it here and in all my various social media sites.

LASTLY- I’ve been aware of music programs behind bars in many places for many years, understand having served as a volunteer chaplain in a wide range of prisons and jails what basic protocol requires. Additionally, music therapy and the benefits of art behind bars including music have short and long-term benefits to detainees as well as staff and upon release keep on giving such if an individual is intentional about continuing, growing and perhaps even a part if not full time legit job.

I just submitted a six-session guitar history/guitar-and-music-learning/songwriting course to a jail and we shall see if they are willing to give it a tryout as a pilot program. I’ve been thinking and praying about this for some years and decided to apply. There are many doors in incarceration, many locks but also many keys. I think on spiritual, practical and therapeutic levels such an approach if done with great simplicity rather than the common music instruction approach can “open doors” of the heart, mind and life for any who would be willing to show up and do the work involved. Why?

Never having been locked away for any real length of time I can still say God used all I’ve mentioned to unlock -me- and over a lifetime I’ve seen positive results world-wide from such teaching when applied. It doesn’t require a master’s to communicate simple ways of learning and playing guitar as well as song writing.

I won’t share the details here and now, but would appreciate my readers’ prayers on this particular venture. His will, not mine. And if not in one facility, perhaps in another…

As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn

My wife Wendi and I have longtime, sweet friends one of whom is named Sue. She began a small group in our fellowship that is truly incredible, and as it turned out both Wendi and I decided to join.

Sue does excellent teaching on prayer writing. Over decades I’ve appreciated the Book of Common Prayer and especially used Complines (Celtic) via the Northumbria Community in England for example.

So, not caring about creating “great art” as what I’m writing are my own personal heart-felt prayers to the Lord, I began thinking it might be beneficial for some of my readers to have a look at some of them.

Prayer is not one-dimensional (we speak to God) but also about hearing Him, extolling HIS character, calling on Him in our temptations and needs, and of course giving Him praise, thanks and worship. Prayers can be spoken, sung, written, thought towards God, even created in artworks. Communication with Father/Son/Spirit has many forms and the issue is praying in accord with His will, honestly and not about mere structure, style or format.

So here’s a link to a little website I’ll update as I write more what I’ll call prayer-prose. Have a look if interested.

https://gkaisersoze.wixsite.com/prayerprose

Lastly, my friends at GrrrRecords asked about my recording each one to post as an audio podcast. I agreed. We will post that link as soon as they’re all ready online -and as per my written prayer-prose site we will add to the audio site along and along as I write more.

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn

First, this is a blog post not a volume-long treatise on the issue. Secondly, there are so very many issues/levels of/dogmas/personal opinions on what freedom truly IS and is not… well, here’s a quick reflection on it.

I suggest a true and IMperfect follower of Jesus will often be as confused or ignorant of the details re. what freedom is and ain’t as any agnostic, atheist or other-than-Christian spiritually focused person.

I’ve often stated as I did just yesterday in fact, that the number one question I’ve been asked over a lifetime of ministry is “How can I understand what the will of God for me is?” even if they only meant for a particular season in their life.

That’s another post (and you can find my responses by searching in this site) but what it entails also affects one’s personal sense and view of what freedom is and isn’t.

John 8.31: “Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

There is amazing grace and blessing in His statements but we must also face there is cross-bearing, sacrifice and accompanying pain and death -sometimes physical death. All one must do is study human and church history as well as gather with honest Christ-followers who will talk of the troubles (“In the world you shall have tribulation” said our Lord) they’ve experienced and that other believers who truly follow in our day face. Let us face common sense and reality!

Ok- so what’s all this have to do with freedom? There is a cost. Sometimes it cuts very deep indeed. To pretend otherwise is either ignorance or denial -and when we are either ignorant or in denial of the truth, freedom largely becomes a matter of our own desires and not the stated desires of Jesus, of what His words tell us about God the Father’s desires for our life on earth.

See, this is how we each end up tempted to turn freedom on it’s head.

I meet people regularly who are free behind bars. That’s right. And also people who are truly locked in chains who are not incarcerated but out on the street “in freedom”.

No doubt some in jail and prison are innocent though detained. There are those who deal with all sorts of mental, emotional and other challenges, abuses and more who are living in a spiritual prison inside or outside.

There are also those who are so caught in dogma that a daily, warm, conversational relationship of love and trust with Father, Son, Spirit is somewhat immature or at least on the “back burner” of their daily life, choices and sense of liberty. If you follow Jesus, consider this please!

Information, like doing whatever you like best -isn’t true freedom. So how does the truth set one free?

Application even when you wouldn’t prefer it.

When Paul wrote his letter to the Christians in Galatia (Chap. 5) he stated “13. For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

You see freedom as the Lord defines it in His word includes restraint. It includes lovingly GIVING rather than seeking one’s “own” and control. It includes yielding control to God. Many who are adamant to get what they consider “theirs” are tempted to blow off restraint -and truly serving Jesus and others isn’t always our motive for fighting is it? Is it?

As always, the question of who gets to define is core. Does God Who alone IS God define genuine freedom -or do you and I?

I appeal to my fellow professing followers of Jesus to consider these matters in the light of what He has already said via His Word, the Living -and- Spirit-breathed Word.

Lastly, it’s certainly how we interpret and our own thoroughness and motives in such come into play.

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn

Wendi and I had an excellent time together up Nort’, kind people, great receptions in both gigs for a great cause and a great Cause! Further, safe travels and a few cheap but sweet Christmas decorations from the local Goodwill store.

One of my to-be-released records is slowly getting closer to done w. tracking. Still a bit early to discuss that one but I’ll do so eventually as we get into mixdown mode.

Working on a few fresh web-based things I’ll share about as those are ready too.

Wow, here comes Thanksgiving again (SO much to thank God for!!!) and my dear bro. Roy Montroy is healing up from heart transplant… so much grace for which I’m thankful!

Hope your Autumn is opening as a good one.

As always, thanks for stopping by, -Glenn

Prayers for grace to you- and thank you.

As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn

GK in Waupaca 🙂

SAT. NOV. 11 Speaking and a bit of music:

https://fflwaupaca.org/fall-gala-2023.html

-and-

SUN. NOV. 12 Leading Worship and speaking:

https://www.radiantfellowship.net/

As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn

It occurs to me, though I realize I can be overwhelming in all my posting online… that many have no idea how truly much and varied I am in the world of the Web. So… soon I’ll post links to most if not all my varied sites w. a short explanation what you’d find if you clicked on ’em. Perhaps later today.

As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn

I’ve a bit of a cough so I think it best to finally see him face to face when I’m completely over this cold -but tonight what pleasure to say THANK YOU to God for bringing Roy Montroy home to his own bed after quite an ordeal. He returned with a new heart (transplant!) and is working in rehab toward getting his kidneys working better. Little by little.

HUGE Thanks to all who have prayed for Roy and his family. Please keep it up friends!

Praising Jesus for His grace! And as always, thanks for stopping by!
-Glenn

There are times taking to the highways make sense, are quicker to get you where you need to go. And then there are the side streets.

As I write it’s a chilly but cozy Autumn day in Chicago, the trees are mostly turning bright yellow and gold, some beautiful reds from the maples, and in some cases even the side streets are both left and right lit up with glowing leaves alongside parked cars.

This morning I intentionally slowed down when driving one of my grands to school because getting there too early means a cold wait outside until the doors open.

I purposely take side streets, especially when returning home or when I’m alone because I love to see the various decorations, changes in the trees and lawns, and until winter snow storms it’s just a slower pace, fewer cars, horn honks and such.

Was I faster when I was younger? Of course. But two things I’ve learned to really appreciate within the past couple decades: when possible- the lack of a hectic speed-filled life, and solitude.

Unless you know me well and hang around me much, you might not see me moving away from where ever I expect you want to physically be. Even my sweet wife mentions me recoiling from the sink where I’m washing dishes if she needs to get in to wash her hands or whatever.

Perhaps it somewhat comes from being the third of three kids and myself some years younger than my next sibling. Maybe it’s because throughout my life I had to encourage people to move when they didn’t want to (on several levels) though I never got pleasure from feeling like I was “in someone’s way”…

Conflict is rare when you spend time with your Savior in prayer. I always feel welcomed, heard, not like “a pain” though I’m certain at times I’ve caused Him heartache through my days.

If one is at peace with God and oneself, life becomes simpler and slowing down, really looking at your surroundings, reflecting mentally on what you see and parsing life all seem to come, all benefits of side streets.

Driving along of course one must watch for pedestrians, kids, folks pulling out of parking spots, in our city speed bumps, and people walking dogs, but all of this also calls for slowing down and paying attention.

Years of many hours in the woods taught me these lessons as well, just to be still, quiet, to stop and sit, ponder, take in all you may not notice in what is often an intense, speed-driven, hurry-up, time-certain life.

Certainly growing older as I have means slowing down when you may want to kick into high gear -but I truly enjoy the exploring, wandering, pondering of my life in this season.

Peace isn’t all about “getting” but giving, here and there when you’ve something to share, and also about getting out of other’s way. Learning to be and take life in a gentler fashion is a gift I’m thankful God has given me.

Understand, I’m not even close to being an introvert nor molasses-slow in my personality, yet and still all I’ve said here applies.

Even sitting in a quiet space with my laptop (i.e., at the library the other day) is a gift.

Oh yes, there are times I crank up the music whether my own or others, times I want life uptempo and in 5th gear, but savoring the side streets of life is something I’ve come to really enjoy.

Food for thought perhaps?

Thankfully, quietly yours -and as always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn