Northwest Arkansas has Friday night football at its best! This is my kind of night. The temperature will be in the low 50′s, but hot, really hot, on the playing field of at least two major bouts tonight.

Springdale High School versus Fayetteville High School. These are the #1 and #2 teams in our highest classification in Arkansas. Springdale is listed #1 and is also in the Top 10 of major national polls, including USA Today.

Coach Gus Malzahn is a dear friend. We talk regularly, and he attends our fellowship. He is the Head Football Coach of Springdale High School. He coached both Josh and Nick at Shiloh Christian School. Josh was the first quarterback in his now famous, "hurry-up, no-huddle offense." So many players from Springdale High – from those most known, to those who don’t get their names in the papers – are members of our fellowship. A few of the players from Fayetteville High School are also members of our fellowship. It will be rivalry night.

Shiloh Christian School versus Prarie Grove. This one does not go back as far as the Springdale-Fayetteville game, but there is definitely a history between the two, and it is very engaging. This game is the Super Bowl to Prarie Grove, and they have done very well throughout the years under their great Head coach. Shiloh and Springdale share many things in common besides the same city, but also share in the challenge that each opponent they face is their Super Bowl. Most believe the game between Shiloh and Prarie Grove tonight will decide the conference title and will give the winner an upward motion towards a State Championship.

Coach Josh Floyd is my son. He has been mentored by Gus Malzahn, and has reinvented Coach Malzahn’s system to fit him, his style, and players. Josh and Gus have much in common: faith, church, town, and philosophy on football. On top of this, they coach in order to teach young men about life. I am so proud of them and love them both. They represent what real coaching is about.

May tonight be great in whatever you do.

The beginning of CNN several years ago has tied America to up-to-date minute by minute news, making the world seem smaller.  Regardless of where you live, if you get some form of cable or satellite television, you are global.  You are in touch with the happenings of the world.  Now the options are well beyond CNN.

Without the media, we would not be aware of the trauma of the recent New Orleans disaster and the entire Gulf Coast challenge.  We are now educated and touched as never before, because imagery creates reality.  We have seen not only reality that media brings, but periodically even the bias.

Media has the power to influence both positively and negatively.  News without editorial and bias is difficult to come by.  The media has the power to give favor to whomever they want.  It can be very positive or it can be very negative.

The downside is when something happens concerning the negative imagery of a person’s life and leadership . . . you wonder if the media is giving the actual facts or sharing a part of the facts in a bias manner.  The misfortune of where we sit and observe is that we will never know.  The Bible talks about "testing the spirits." We need to do this with media.  We need to go beyond what we see and are told into true reality.  We need to seek and search for it without giving up.

I am thankful today for the media personalities and entities that really strive hard to relay unbiased information, based upon genuine facts.  Real truth always comes out.  Oh yes, some may not be until eternity, but one day the Lord will test it all and test each of us.  When we watch or listen to media, we need to remember this one eternal truth.

The only person who shares and is real truth is Jesus Christ.  This is why we need to be students of the Word of God.  It is far more important to know what God says about something, than CNN.  A greater commitment to Scripture reading, study, and following correct hermeneutical principles will lead us to the reality of genuine truth.

Live in and by the Truth today.

Our week has been fuller than full! We have Team Impact here leading on both campuses nightly. Tonight we end it at both campuses at 7:00 p.m. I attended the Church at Pinnacle Hills last night and the crowd was great, energized, and exciting. We are very excited about some of the great decisions that are being made for Christ. I will attend our Springdale campus this evening. I hope you will attend if you live in Northwest Arkansas.

On top of that, architect meetings are happening! Yesterday’s afternoon and early evening, prior to Team Impact, was loaded with this responsibility. This afternoon, I will be in the same scenario at the Springdale campus. Oh the joy of two campuses where I have to think in "2′s" continually and not "1′s."

Beyond that, this is now life after Peyton’s birth! Things have changed dramatically. Jeana is with them through the entire night and most days while Kate is regaining strength from surgery. Kate’s Mom and Dad, Mona and Don, are assisting as well on a continual daily and evening schedule. It is worth it! There is no complaining in this group. If you can die from too much love and attention, then this child is in trouble.

Nick and Meredith are coming home on Thursday night. Meredith gets every other Friday off where she works at GuideStone Financial Services in Dallas, Nick is taking his first day off since arriving at Prestonwood and is out of school on Fridays. Therefore, they will be here late Thursday night, hopefully before midnight, see Peyton, attend the Shiloh Christian and Prarie Grove game on Friday night, and head back to Dallas on Saturday. The joys of growing up, working on a church staff, going to school working on your Master’s Degree, and you wife working full time…how life has changed! They are looking forward very much to seeing and holding their first nephew.

Is life not great? Oh yes, God is good…and you are right…He is good ALL THE TIME!

We are blessed…Thanks and Praise to you, O Lord.

Life has been so eventful these last few days with the birth of our first grandchild, Peyton. Since Thursday, our lives have been changed with this new addition. Life stopped for moments just to hold him, touch him, and love on him. This "little man" has captured my heart.

Kate went home from the hospital yesterday. With her C-section delivery, adjustments will be a little more difficult than normal. Jeana and Mona, Kate’s Mom, are almost fighting over who will stay with them each evening to assist.

Pray for Josh in these days as he has new responsibilities as a Dad, caring for his wife, and the biggest game of the year ahead of him this Friday night. We won the conference opener on Friday night, and now we are playing the #1 conference rival; if the "pros" know what they are talking about, they are saying this game could be for the conference championship. All Josh and I know at this point…it is a HUGE game. It is too early to actually say it is for the conference championship, but it will give the winner a huge competitive edge with major games still ahead.

TEAM IMPACT is with us this week on both campuses. Last night we saw many people come to Christ. The next three nights at 7:00 on both campuses, we will have this group of godly men enourage others by lifting up Christ.

Pray for me this week; many preparations lie before me and I desperately need to know God’s direction on each of them. This Sunday begins a new mini-series as we pursue the 2nd major queston of life. I sure hope if you live in our region, you will join us.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have caused major disruption along the Gulf Coast of the United States. The needs are massive. The Church must respond. Pray about going, serving, giving, and loving.

At 8:22 a.m. on September 22, Peyton Elliott Floyd was born.  He is my first grandchild and we are excited about his entrance into our lives.  Jeana and I, along with Don and Mona Elliott (Kate’s parents) are rejoicing and are grateful to God for this blessing upon our families.

Peyton is a little man:  He was 9 lbs, 8 oz; 20 3/4 inches long; and was timed 4.5 seconds in the forty.  He is a handsome little guy with a happy Mom and Dad.  We are very ecstatic over the favor of God given to our children. 

Yesterday as we held him as a family, we prayed that God would raise him up to change his generation.  We are believing God for the Lord to use him to make a major difference in his life. 

Oh yes, POPS is my name for my grandchildren; that is, if they can say it and will say it!.  We pray so.  On behalf of POPS AND GIGI we are pumped!

More pictures

The day has been set for our first grandchild’s birth…it will take place tomorrow morning. Due to a test yesterday on Kate and the baby, his size is demanding birth through a C-Section. For those of you who know Kate, she is a petite lady.

They are projecting the baby to be just under 10 pounds! I called my Mom last night and shared this with her. She stated, "Ronnie, they don’t know that…he may be just a little one!" I responded, "Mom, they are relatively sure due to this test." She replied, "Well, maybe so; Kate just may have one of those big Floyd babies!" You think? My Dad (the kids call him "Papa") was over 12 pounds at birth! Wow!

I have between 24-26 hours to make the decision on what everyone will train this little man to call me; like it is going to matter what we think! Yet, the game is played this way, so I have a big decision. What will it be?

I am leaning toward Pops, but someone told Jeana that I need to strongly consider "Doc." It is worth entertaining, but seems a little formal to me. What do you think?

I NEED to hear from you TODAY…what do you think, Pops or Doc? Vote now!

Even after a very busy engaging Sunday, I woke up at 3:35 a.m. today.  My normal practice each Sunday through Thursday is a 4:00 a.m. beginning.  For some reason, I was wide awake today and ready to begin the week at the office, entering into the minute details of life and ministry.  

Did you hear about my HOGS?  We got zapped by the professional team called the University of Southern California Trojans.  I have not seen that great of expertise on the field with such superb athletes since Barry Switzer’s highest days at the University of Oklahoma when they were the "wishbone option experts."  Perhaps one of Jimmy Johnson’s teams in the 1980′s at the University of Miami rival to get into this elite tier as well.  

What happened was unique….USC was on FIRE!  This will not happen again this week when we play the University of Alabama.  I have complete confidence we will be more than ready to play.  We have always played Alabama close and I think Houston Nutt’s record against them is 4-3. 

Houston Nutt will rally the troops back together…we will press on!  He is the coach for the University of Arkansas and its future. 

Hey, my Dallas Cowboys play tonight!  They are playing their greatest rivals…the Washington Redskins.  I have seen two games in person when they have played the Redskins!  It will be a lively night tonight.  What an atmosphere!

Be positive today…have a great day. 

This can be the church’s finest hour!  Out of all entities and organizations, no one is more positioned and postured for greatness in response to the national disaster more than the church.  The American church is positioned….we are postured….we are powerful as a team of Christians to make a great difference in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Our church is mobilizing people this next week to Slidell, Louisiana, to work with a church that has become a New Testament model of helping and serving people.  People are racing to that church for help.  We will lift up their arms in order help touch thousands of people.  Additionally, we will launch from that setting with another team that will mobilize to help smaller churches.  This is our moment as the church of Jesus Christ in America.

Get involved in some way.  Go, Pray, Give, Encourage others to make a difference.  Yes, this is a great moment for the church.  May God be honored because of our responsiveness to human needs. 

Today, pray.  Pray for the church to meet needs.  Pray for spiritual leaders on the Gulf Coast.  Pray for our President, George W. Bush.  Pray, Pray, and yes, Pray!

Things are rolling and raining in Northwest Arkansas. I enjoy days like this when the weather is overcast. My schedule this week has been incredible.  Besides the one-day marathon trip to the Gulf Coast and normal preparations for Sunday, I have been preparing to do today’s business luncheon for several hundred people, plus sitting or standing in front of a camera for hours for the last two days as we were involved in producing a new opener and look for our national television broadcasts.

My daughter-in-law, Kate, is getting ever so close to delivery.  In just a matter of time, it will occur.  Pray it does not occur on Friday afternoon or Friday night.  My son, Josh, is a Head Football Coach and has a very big game on Friday night.  Please pray for Kate and the baby’s protection and safety through delivery and beyond.

I stand amazed at the response of the American people to the leaders among us. People are tough and judgmental.  It does not matter if it is the President, a football coach, or a corporate leader.  People are blaming President Bush for the New Orleans disaster.  Ridiculous!  The people in Oklahoma and Arkansas are blaming their respective elite Head Football Coaches for their 1-1 records.  The memories are short-lived at Oklahoma where their coach won a national championship and has led the team to play in major venues for their program.  As well, some of the people in Arkansas have forgotten that our Head Coach has taken the Arkansas team to a bowl game every year of his leadership, except one.  Both of these coaches have turned down major money and major jobs to remain where they are investing in the lives of young men.  I have one word for all the critics of these men…Ridiculous! 

Get a clue, dude.  Here is the motto for you today:  "Get a clue because one day they will go after you!"  It is not a matter of "if" but "when."  People are tough and judgmental.  It is a very difficult time to be a true leader.  Pray for and and encourage the leaders in your life.

Generosity is so powerful.  There is nothing like giving to others.  There is nothing more powerful than meeting needs.  It is exhilarating to do.  It is humbling to be the receiver of someone’s generosity.

The hearts of our people are reaching out to the people of the Gulf Coast.  So many of our people have given time, energy, and resources to meeting the terrific needs of the hundreds we have cared for here in Northwest Arkansas.  It is continuing to reach to such a point, I continue to be amazed.

Our people are giving some major money, time, and giftedness to respond to these needs, not only here, but on the Gulf Coast.  After sharing with a man yesterday the great need of a Pastor to not have to travel four hours a day so that he can minister more effectively, one of our men bought a brand new mobile trailer to share with this pastor as well as others to come.  Generosity from that level, to someone giving their time is absolutely astounding.  All God wants from us is willingness and obedience. 

I am so fired up about my trip to the Gulf Coast yesterday, but so astounded by it, I cannot go into detail yet about it.  Television does not do it justice.  This is a moment for making a difference.  I am committed to doing it personally and as a church.

Sunday night at 6:00 at our SPRINGDALE CAMPUS you can hear a report on our trip this past Monday, from several of our staff members and me.  Do not miss it if at all possible. 

Later my friend.