Chris Burkmenn's Blog

She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Matthew 9:21 I love this verse, I love that the woman's faith led her to be obedient and touch Jesus' clothing. To the world around her it was a crazy thought. Why would you want to touch Jesus' clothing?  If we read the whole story we see that she had been bleeding for 12 years. Now that is a lot of pain, 12 years of bleeding. I know that in my own life 1 day of feeling under the weather is enough for me, but to even imagine being sick for 12 years is beyond anything I can comprehend.  The woman was desperate, she was seeking the only thing that could make her better and that was Jesus. In our lives for things to get better it often takes Boldness, and Obedience in our faith. Think of how much guts it took for that woman to have touched this Man.  Jesus, who she had heard so much about and all of these miracles being performed. At the sight every knee shall bow and here this woman wants...

When I was young my mom and dad use to say, Christopher you are in such a rush to grow up. To be honest I was. I felt I was missing out on the action. I wanted the independence because I thought I knew it all. At a young age knowing it all is so far from the truth, if anything I knew nothing. Mom and Dad would always try and help and I would blow them off and shake it off as if I knew the answer. I would argue until I was blue in the face.  Today I stand here and fully admitt that I wish I would have savored more. Cherished the days of my youth because those care free days are over and grown up life has hit me. I have bills, a job, and adult responsibilities. I firmly believe that all of our decisions effect our reality. We cannot change the past all we can do is learn from our previous decisions. I am very thankful for where I am today and know that God's grace covers my life. The responsibilities of life can try and consume you. They can try and take over the freedom th...

As I think about my life, and reflect on all that God has given me the ability to do. So much has changed over the last couple of years, and what would make me think that things would stop changing because it is inevitable that things will continue to change. I look at my life and I am so thankful, God has given me so much and I truly believe that He has blessed me with so many amazing new opportunities! I have been blessed by my church, and the amazing family it has provided me. I have been given the ability to speak into peoples lives that I never would have thought would be possible. I am so humbled because that was never a goal for me, and yet it has blessed me beyond all words. Lately God has started to shake things up a bit for me as well, and I am still learning that I have so far to go. I am learning so much about where I am that it is crazy. But I am loving that God is providing so many people to speak into my life and stretch me so that I do not remain complacient. I ne...

How powerful something is when you believe. The miracles that are produced by Faith. The passion inside yourself when you strive to achieve great things!  I watched October Sky yesterday, and I must say it so much inspired me about dreaming. The story is about a boy that faced so many obstacles in his path towards a dream that he had. He grew up in a coal mining town where almost everyone stayed except for the Football jocks because they were given scholarships. His journey starts with one woman who believed in him more than he believed in himself, his teacher. His friends thought he was crazy, and his family did not give him much support with his fascination for rockets. Except for his mother, she believed and supported him in anything he did, much like our mothers do. His father was scared because he wanted him to take over the family legacy in the coal mining field. His dreams were put to a halt when the police said he started a fire and told him that he could no longe...

God has been pressing on me lately, "What am I willing to fight for." What means more to me than anything. What am I passionate about, and how much does it mean to me. That may seem like a simple question or for some that may be a very thoughtless question, but for me there is importance. There is value there because if it means something to God then it means something to me. I know first and formost I would fight for my Faith, I would fight for Christ because I believe so strongly that he has saved me from myself and that is something that I am forever grateful for. He transformed my life from nothing to something. His Love is forever and there is so much value in that for all of us. We need not search anymore because he is all that we need in life. His relationship shall sustain anything we ever thought the world could give us. Have you ever thought where you might be if not for the Man who saved us. He was brought into this world to give us life and life mo...

Have you lived dreaming for something that you thought was meant to be. Lived your whole life wishing, hoping, believing and realized that it was empty. Realizing that everything you thought was going to bring happiness held no weight. Disappointed in the emptiness that you felt. Praying that God would reveal to you your purpose, and why you were sent to this world.  What function you were meant to fulfill. Trusting and listening to what He says, so that everything would come together and make sense. Then you realize what you were born to do has nothing to do with the dreams you had in the past. To the world you may seem crazy because they can't explain why you would leave all that, to go where you feel better than you ever have before in your life. Words cannot explain the joy that you have while you are fulfilling that call. To be honest the world cannot explain what they don't understand, and they don't think like we think. To them what is based on purpose is somethi...

What a year this has been, and what an amazing journey every step has been. I turned 24 this year, and as I reflected on the last year I realized how truly blessed that I am. I have such a loving family back home that is growing daily. I get to hear amazing testimonies from them which is so awesome and encouraging. It makes me smile. I Love that God has moved in so many amazing ways, and even though I am not there I know that the bond of family can never be broken. I have such amazing friends here in Nashville, God provided me some pretty incredible people. I had always prayed for a brother and feel that God has really provided there. I have been made feel like family at my church, and in our youth. The Oasis Church has truly given me so many things, and I am so thankful to God for providing that! I had learned so truly amazing things this year as I grow in the word and in the body. God has been with me every step of the way, and I think it's important to remember that becau...