Chris Burkmenn's Blog

Thinking of this song brings back so many memories to me. Some of you may never have heard it, but Return to Pooh's Corner by Kenny Loggins is one of my favorite songs. If you know me, you know this. My Dad use to call me Christopher Robin when I was a kid, and he use to sing me this song. I can remember when I was little my Dad use to drive this tiny tiny truck, my Mom would refer to it as the piece of junk. We all were not found of that truck. He went through several junky cars when I was a kid. But to be honest I can remember hating it at the time, but looking back loving it. We would always go places and do things. We never sat at home, which is probably why I am always so busy.  But when we were riding in this truck my Dad had this song on cassette player. We would wear it out as we did with most songs, Jesse's Girl, Everybody wants to be a cat. We would sing at the top of our lungs. I think of those days often now. So much more simple. It may also be because I am fa...

Often times I look at life in the way of what's in it for me?? How can I get something out of this, how can I get an incentive? Whether it be banking, serving, helping coaching. My heart is right, but my motive isn't always. I find myself looking at God that way. How can this make me look good?  The bible says: But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” ~James 4:6 What's in it for me? No longer do I want to be bound by that spirit. I want freedom from that! Everything I do I want to glorify God in all ways. He knows my heart. I am not perfect, but I don't want that to be a crutch or an excuse, of why I can't or why I won't. So remove the flesh and put into it that God loves me so much that I want to show him how much I love him in return. That is done using all love languages. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love a...

How many of you have ever heard of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? It is probably one of the greatest stories in the Bible. It is quite a lengthy chapter, but it is worth reading.  Some astrologers informed Nebuchadnezzar that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not worshiping him. Tell him that they continue to worship their God, but do not worship his gods or the gold statue that the king had created. The king became very angry with this. The king summoned them to ask them if this was true, and if it was in fact not then he wanted to them to start worshiping him as soon as the music started play or they would be thrown in the fiery furnace. Hinting that whatever god they were serving wouldn't be able to rescue them from the fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego told the king that they would not serve him and that if they were thrown in the fire that their God would save them. This angered the king extremely. He then ordered th...

Has anyone else been as fascinated as I am with reading the story of the beginning, especially Adam and Eve. Discovering where we came from and what it means. He created everything, The light, water, land, fish, birds, trees, humans, and so much more. It's such a beautiful thing to comprehend.  One of my favorite verses in the entire Bible is Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning  God created  the heavens  and the earth.   2  Now the earth was formless  and empty,  darkness was over the surface of the deep,  and the Spirit of God  was hovering  over the waters.       Reading that and seeing how dark the world was how empty it was without God. That is so symbolic because are lives are like that without Christ, empty, dark, and formless.       When God comes in he transforms us makes us new. No matter how empty we are he comes and transforms us into an amazing masterpi...

This year in a nutshell Rocked out at Kelly Clarkson's summer tour. This summer I grew a stache and then shaved it. Visited Memphis with our youth at Oasis Church Had fun with all of my friends Dressed sharp for an awards ceremony at Oasis Church Partied with my friend Chase Saw my family they visited and so did I Celebrated my birthday with some crazy friends Enjoyed time with my Mom and sister Went home for my sisters birthday party. Loved my sisters over the Christmas Holiday. Had a photoshoot with my friend Sarah Weeks Enjoyed spending time with my mentee Isaac Chambers Saw Needtobreathe with my good friend Caitlin Miles

Tonight I saw the perks of being a wallflower . A friend blessed me with the opportunity to go and see the movie. I had seen the previews and I was so intrigued, because when I was younger I never really fit in any cliques. I was teased as a child, and sometimes bullied. So I thought it would be great to see this movie. Let me tell you, what a great movie. I felt so sorry for this young boy Charlie, going to school day after day and being treated the way he was. He was teased pretty awfully for the way he dressed, or even the questions he answered in class. I sympathized with him because he had so much going on internally and with his family. No one cared though, and not one person asked him how he was doing. The one thing Charlie has are his letters to his "friend" in a journal, and they summarize his feelings and help him grow as a writer. It helps him process all of the things that are going on around him. Help him not think about how lonely he truly is. One day ...