Chris Burkmenn's Blog

When I think of what I am trying to do with( CBEX ) the thought of Christopher Columbus comes to mind. "In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue." Think of the faith that took, people most certainly said that he was crazy to go and explore this unknown land. Not even knowing if he would get there or what it might take on the journey to the new land. He pioneered a journey to a place that had only been heard of before, but going to this new land taking only past experiences, and not having any knowledge of the new. Pushing past the negative opinions of others and having full confidence in who he reported to. Leading a team who trusted in Columbus because they had confidence in his leadership and who he reported to. I apply a lot of this logic on my current endeavors into pioneering the unknown. Webshows are a thing of the future, and CBEX is about all of that. We are walking into the unknown, and applying new strategies. Some think we are crazy, and many...

Today in a world where superman does not exist, except in movies. Where hard work gets you everywhere and laziness get you no where.  Today's hero many of you do not know. You may never even have heard his name until now. But the impact his has made on my life goes far beyond anyone that I have ever met. The hero for Heroic Thursday is my father, Michael Menn. Why you ask is he my hero, for obvious reasons of He is my dad, or he gave life to me. Those are both very obvious for him to be my hero. However; I honor him as a hero because he is one of the hardest workers I have ever met in my life. He works all day everyday doing so much in the world around him. He is an active member of Faith Family church in Shiloh, IL. He has about 12 jobs working more than 80 hours a week. Contributing to the community around him for the good of everyone in it. He has always had a special connection the elderly in the community, and he serves several in his area. As a child he always pushed ...

These next couple days are the last days of my current season. I will be entering a new season. Something that could go two ways, one could be an amazing success and the other could be the opposite. My faith tells me that my God will not leave whichever of the two it may be.  On friday, I leave my full-time position for a road with no limits and no structure. Chasing my dreams full force walking on the promises of the Lord, and no leaning on my own strength but His. I read a quote a few days ago, "I never regretted the things I did, but always the things I didn't do." That's the kind of life that I want, living the fullness in all that I should be striving for. I moved to Nashville on a promise from God not with specific instructions, but the command "Come" from the Lord. Similar to what Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 14:29. I feel sometimes I should have more answers, but then it wouldn't really allow God to be God. I want the kind of faith th...

Past Honoree: Kaitlin Roig, Chris Kyle, Doreen Winkler, Tony Buuck, Zach Bonner, Allan Fonseca. (Jesus on the Cross pictured center. My vision for this day is to honor ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I feel that this will show each of us that even though we are everyday people we can still impact the world and make the change through Christ. We each have the ability to help create this world better. I choose to honor a variety of different heroes in this section I feel that there are so many different aspects that describe a one.  Today's excuses are tomorrows regrets dressed in disguise.  -Steven Furtick Let us not miss the opportunities of today, but be challenged by possibility of hope. Many of us will never get a medal to honor us with a day by our country, but that should never be our incentive. We should be driven by the love of Christ in us. Pouring into our communities around us. Small acts of kindness can bring hope to the world aro...

Young Tony Buuck from from Fort Wayne, Indiana, saves his sister when falling into an icy pond. The young boy raced in the pond to save his 8 year old sister. Now a local hero is getting attention that he doesn't necessarily want.  "…I think a lot of people wouldn't have done it. I don't want to have all the glory and stuff," Tony said. The 12 year was playing basketball in the driveway, when his sister Sammy fell into the pond in their backyard on Saturday. Hearing his little sisters scream, he ran to her rescue. The ice was so thin that it cause young Tony to fall into the pond as well.  "I began by taking my arms and sort of just putting it under her shoulders. I realized that wasn't going to work so I grabbed her coat hood," Tony said. Their father Dale came to save them, but the ice again gave in causing him to fall in as well. The Dad was able to break some of the ice and bring Tony to safety while he tightly help on to young Sammy....

Today I honor a young boy by the name of Zach Bonner. You may or may not know him from his service to his community or even by helping change the world. When Bonner was seven years old, he founded the organization to aid the 1.3 million homeless children in the United States. Bonner said that, "These kids don't have a home, they don't have a safe place to sleep at night. They're out on the streets not because they want to be, but because it's out of their control. Bonner has contributed many efforts to those around him, including organizing several marches across the country. All for the heart to help raise awareness for homeless children. Walking several thousands of miles all over the United States. Bonner has done a variety of volunteer work since he was six years old. In 2004, when Hurricane Charley hit neighborhoods, he collected 27 pickup trucks of water in his little red wagon. He established the Little Red Wagon...

Today we honor Chris Kyle, a former Navy Seal. Protecting and defending our country for the name of America. Kyle was one of America's deadliest military snipers.  The Pentagon said his skills with a rifle so terrorized Iraqi insurgents during his four tours of duty that they nicknamed him the “Devil of Ramadi” and put a bounty on his head. He returned home to become a best selling author and also mentored several other veterans.  On Saturday Kyle was turned on by Eddie Ray Routh. O fficials said that for reasons that were still unclear, Mr. Routh shot and killed both Kyle and another man(Chad Littlefield) with a semiautomatic handgun before fleeing in a pickup truck belonging to Mr. Kyle.  More information is being released on this story. For more detailed information go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/04/us/chris-kyle-american-sniper-author-reported-killed.html?_r=0 Today we honor Chris Kyle for the American Hero he was. Thank you for your sacrifice in the n...

Allan Fonseca an employee in a mall at Clackamas Town Center malll in Oregon saved lives on Decemeber 12, 2012.  Fonseca was familiar with his place of employment and used it for good. After the mall was taken over by a gun man, he was waiting on his mother Jocelyn Lay. Fonseca employed at Lancome in Macy's, hide his mother behind the counter. "We both just looked at each other and knew that this was a serious situation and it was a gunman and we both just dove down below the Lancome counter there for a little protection," Lay told "Good Morning America." "And the gunfire just kept going off." Lay began praying for that the Lord protect her and the others that were in danger in the mall. She gave credit to her son for being an employee and knowing exactly how to navigate the situation. She says he is her hero. "He said that we needed to evacuate, and he took me by the hand and took me down the escalator and out to safety," she said. ...

Kaitlin Roig pictured On December 13, 2012 one of the scariest moments of any parent and even American citizen lives occurred. The unthinkable happened  A young man intruded into Sandy Hook Elementary school armed and dangerous. This site is not taking a position on gun control, but we are confronting the issue. Kaitlin Roig a first grade teacher at the elementary school in Newton, Connecticut  Pushed fear behind her in the sake of her students.  Adam Lanza arrived to the school at 9:30 a.m. Adam killed his mother at the families home before going to the school.  Kaitlin the 29 year old teacher, at the time was teaching her first graders. Hearing a gun shot, she rushed her students to a near bathroom. Telling ABC News: “I put one of my students on top of the toilet. I was telling them, it’s going to be OK, you’re going to be all right. I told them to be absolutely quiet because I was just so afraid if he did c...

We often underestimate the need for a hero. One person impacting the world. Jesus was our hero. He saved us for more than we can ever know or comprehend.  We read in John 3:16 For God so loved  the world that he gave  his one and only Son,  that whoever believes  in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Today the world is crying for boldness, heroes. The truth is that we can help rescue those in bondage we can help break the chains of addiction.  Love conquers all.  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;  but the greatest of these is love. I Corinthians 13:13 Today I wanted to find a hero that I could honor. Someone that impacted lives beyond themselves. Selflessly and something could have not been done in their own strength, but in the duty to love others. I want to honor Doreen Winkler, she saved two men who were in their own minds on, deaths fingers. They were on the brink of getting hit by a subwa...