Hey, what do you think of these pictures that are posted today?  They are from our Friday night and Saturday night experience with our first grandchild, Peyton.  In his first night with "Pops and Gigi" we had an extraordinary time.  God is good to bless us like this.  We are very grateful to Him and give glory to His name!  You should have been there when I sang to him…it was a moment!

The Super Bowl prediction from Yours Truly is coming on Wednesday, so do not miss the blog!  You can rest assured with my prediction:  I will either be right or wrong.  I told you I was insightful into NFL matters.

Speaking of football since you brought it up:  Arkansas fans are elated today!  Our own Damian Williams decommitted from Florida on Monday and committed to play next year for the Razorbacks.  He was rated the #9 receiver in the country.  I am sorry, I just do not believe that…he is one of the very best high school football players to ever come out of Arkansas in my 19 years here and if there is a better receiver who will sign on Friday I would love to see him play!  He takes over ballgames and that is what great players do.  In every setting, he could change the outcome in a moment.  I think his potential at the next level is outstanding if God blesses him with an injury-free career.  As well, he comes from an outstanding family with a strong commitment to Christ.  Houston Nutt and the troops are practicing for "The Rapture" with this recruiting class. 

Meetings dominated my life yesterday from noon until late.  Following that time, I came home and worked for two hours.  The Lord is increasing the potential and borders faster than I can stay up!  He is good and I give Him thanks and glory. 

An estimated 3,000 of our people completed the book, Building Dynamic Faith,  this morning or they will sometime today.  Our people purchased and purchased these at our encouragement so we could all work through it one chapter (4-6 pages) a day through the month of January.  Without question, in my 2nd time through it within the last two months, God is in the process of creating dynamic faith in my life.  These estimated 3,000 people are from 6th grade and above, comprised from both of our campuses.

Yes, I recommend the book…it will build you 1st and your Faith 2nd.

Jeana and I had an amazing Friday afternoon, evening, and Saturday morning…we kept Peyton over the entire night!  Wow, it was fun.  Josh and Kate were attending the Young Married Adult Retreat our Springdale Campus offered and we had this unique, first time ever experience.  It was a special time.  My favorite was getting him out of bed on Saturday morning at 5:30 a.m. and having him sleep with us until about 7:15 a.m. He clutched my fingers tightly.  When he awakened, the bottle was not ready so the crying was beginning.  So, I began to sing to him for five minutes and yes, he loved it!  I made up this three word song, "I Love Peyton", and kept singing it to him over and over again.  He stopped crying and looked entertained.  I am grateful to God for this special gift God has entrusted to our family.  I will show pictures some time this week from our experience with him.  Back on the singing part, graveyards might have been interrupted due to the quality of it.   

Pray for Josh Stanbery today as he is in the Benton County Hospital.  Josh has had five surgeries on his heart, but has not had one since age 20.  He has struggled recently with a "valve issue," which they shared with him 10 years ago, he would one day have to have it repaired.  Therefore, they are in the process of evaluating and weighing the situation.  We will know more later today or in the early part of the week.  All is well with him and his future, but just a set-back at this time.  He sees a cardiologist today and will be able to have the situation assessed and dealt with once all the testing is completed.  Pray for he and Angela, as well as the children as they are away from him.  Josh leads our music and worship ministries at our Pinnacle Hills campus and does it in a splendid way.

Hey, it is Super Bowl week and I am still considering my winning pick!  I am going for the Dallas Cowboys, but I think they will not win it this year since they are not playing.  So, will it be the Steelers or Seahawks?  Time will tell and I will let you in on the "inside pick" soon. 

We had a lot of KINGDOM LEGACY talk yesterday in my message.  I received an email from one of my associates and he shared with me it was being discussed big-time in our small group ministry yesterday on the Springdale campus.  If you missed it, order the DVD or CD.  You can do so from www.RonnieFloydWinners.com  Winners is the new name for our entire media ministry.

I need your major prayers this week.  The Lord is presenting some very interesting things before me.  I must make the right decisions, so pray for me. 

Hey, I do not know if this is good or not, but everywhere I have gone today, internet service has been questionable to non-existent!  In some ways this has been a blessing.  Our entire subdivision was without service all morning.  I went to my office at the church and it was out.  Then I went through several meetings and just now are things back to normal at home for me to write these words to you, even though it is very late.

Orlando was special last night and meaningful.  It was special to have some of my staff team with me.  It was special to visit with them going and coming to Orlando.  It was special to engage with friends like John Maxwell, Vonette Bright, Tom Mullins, and James Davis; as well, meet many giants in the faith who are making a difference for God.

The special guest that followed me on the program last night was the former Mayor of New York City, the Honorable Rudolph Giuliani.  I heard him speak, met him, got an autograph copy of his book on leadership, got my picture made with him, and participated in not only hearing him in the plenary session, but hearing him in a private setting of about 25 leaders answering our questions.  He communicated well with everyone as we witnessed not only a great leader, but one who has a great sense of humor.  He spoke on the subject of leadership in the plenary session.  

I have not said a lot about it, but I picked both major NFL games last weekend correctly!  Are you surprised?  So now I have been asked by several, "Pastor, who are you picking to win the Super Bowl?"  I believe I will hold off on announcing my pick until after this weekend.  Perhaps on Monday or Tuesday of Super Bowl week I will make the pick.

I did a major radio interview about our blog today.  An article ran recently about our blog on www.pastors.com, highlighting it as being very special in the "blogging world."  In fact, response to it has been outstanding.  I was told today that this blog is being looked at as "the poster for a Pastor blogging".  Wow!  I am humbled and honored.

This reminds me of what I shared on the interview:  it is all about the people who help me with this blog daily.  One of my assistants, Melissa Swain, and my technocrat, Brian Armas.  Because of these two people, yours truly just writes and they make it look good daily.  So, pray a blessing on them.  Thank you Brian and Melissa.

Make this weekend count!

It is now 9:47 a.m. and just now getting around to being able to write a few words.  Preparation for Sunday needed to be completed sometime today.  I was really being pushed by my schedule so I have now completed after back to back mornings being up at 3:30 a.m.  My normal schedule is 4:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, so that is a little bigger push than normal for me. 

Tonight I will be in Orlando to speak at the Global Pastors Network, a conference to motivate pastors world-wide to reach 1 Billion souls for Jesus Christ.  There will be a few thousand pastors present.  It is sold-out according to reports and pastors will be from every state in this nation and from more than 40 countries across the world.  This is a great opportunity to fulfill our church’s mission statement of reaching Northwest Arkansas, America, and the World for Jesus Christ.  Thanks Lord for this opportunity….you are good to me.

I was moved from a Thursday morning time to a Wednesday night time, which is outstanding from my perspective.  Additionally, it enables me to be able to be on a very unique platform with some folks that many of you know by reputation and name.  I am still trying to figure out why I am speaking at this time, but I am very thankful.  After I kick-off the meeting, a world personality–so big he could run the world one day as our President, then following him will be Pastor Billy Joe Daughtery from Tulsa who leads one of America’s largest churches and then concluding will be Television Pastor and Preacher, John Hagee from San Antonio.  Wow…what a deal, uh?  Tomorrow I will tell you who that "world personality" is who will also be speaking.  We were told "not to share it due to media influences" so I will not do so.  

You can listen tonight, according to the brochure via Daystar Television Network, or God.Tv, and local markets and the Internet.  If Daystar carries, then you may be able to get online at their site as well.  I have no other information other than this.

I hope you will pray for me about 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time.       

I have a few thoughts about several things today.  Rather than creating a title, I just want to write to you about several things.  This way, I can just keep it simple.

*Sad day for St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Fayetteville as Pastor J. Aaron Hawkins is called home to heaven.  Even though he had battled some with prostate cancer, he was on his way to being declared "healed."  Yet, the Lord God of heaven called him home last night unexpectantly.  He was the husband of one wife, the father of eight, and the pastor of hundreds.  His influence not only with the African-American community, but the entire region and state was great.  He was tall and influential, but gentle and humble.  May God bring comfort to his wife, children, and spiritual family.  Heaven is richer and Northwest Arkansas is now poorer because of this great loss.  May the Lord Jesus continue to raise that church up towards the greatness their pastor so envisioned for them.

*Seeds of vision planted result in visionaries who can change the world.  This was personified through the life of Pastor Hawkins as he planted thousands of seeds with university students and leaders through the years.  If you are struggling with realizing your vision completely, be comforted today.  All of us plant seeds of vision into our children, others, and those we can influence or lead.  Yet, time nurtures it, others come along watering those seeds; but in God’s timing, He will bring the vision to pass.  Do not be weary in well-doing.  Do not be faint.  Champions keep their eyes on the prize.  It is the prize that motivates them to keep the vision before others. 

*Talking with God through what we call "prayer" is the way to keep your vision alive.  Asking God daily to fulfill your vision is a must, even when you feel it is on pause.  God and God alone takes what you perceive as a "setback" and view it as a "set-up" for you to realize your vision.  I have wanted to give up so many times.  I still do along the way.  Sometimes I feel, "Do they not get it?"  Yet, when I talk to God about it, order is restored, and vision is revived.  What the St. James Missionary Baptist Church may perceive as a "setback" may be God’s way to set them up for the greatness their Pastor was so ignited to see happening. 

*Are you struggling to keep your eyes on your prize, your vision, your goal?  Maybe you feel as if God has forgotten your request or even has forgotten you.  Be confident, He knows your name, your phone number, and even your email address, including the password.  Your eyes are the window of your soul.  You must remain with eyes fixed, heart resolved, and energy that will not quit.  Do not let a person, a cold-water committee of friends, family, or others, and especially yourself cease in your pursuit of what you feel God has put in your heart.  Winners do not quit.  Winners adjust.  Winners focus.  Winners eventually win.

*Remember all day, regardless of what others say or how you feel, YOU ARE A WINNER!

Yesterday was a very interesting day in all of our worship services.  It was one of those days where God’s presence was so obvious.  The Spirit of the Lord was present in a great way.  Yet, distraction after distraction kept going on while I was preaching the Word of God.  Of course, this is even more evidence that God was moving. 

So many in the world today really question the existence of Satan, the devil.  I can assure you as a Christian, spiritual leader and pastor, I do not question his existence one moment.  I believe yesterday he did all he could to distract people from the Word of God and the message of God’s truth.  It is just like him to pull us away from truth, not send us to it. 

In fact, just as a champion runner faces adversity in the race, you will face demonic adversity in your Christian life as you race to the finish.  Let me give you a word of counsel:  this is not always bad.  Why?  Demonic adversity reminds you to embrace truth even as you are tempted to not do so.  Demonic adversity reminds you of the enormous need you have to lean on God 24-7.  His Holy Spirit is the only way that can make you experience the promise of 1 John 4:4:  "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."  Thanks O Lord, for this promise and we call upon Jesus to overcome our enemy through us today.  You can win with Jesus!

Josh, Kate, and Peyton called on Saturday afternoon, wanting to drive north to Pinnacle Hills for me to show them the new campus being built.  They were blessed.  How special it was to hold Peyton while walking through.  It was a reminder of why we do the things we do like build campuses for churches.  It is for the next generation to have a place to worship, to learn, and to grow; BUT mostly it becomes the sending station of that next generation into the marketplace to make a difference for Jesus by reaching others with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Nick begins school again today as he continues in working on his Master’s Degree.  He is taking all of his classes on Mondays, beginning early and ending late.  Beyond these classes, he is doing one on-line class this semester.  He has a long day, so pray for him.

Meredith has been asked to return to Liberty University to teach four classes over one and one-half days that will have several hundred young female students in attendance.  Meredith is an excellent communicator and was the winner of their Women’s Ministry Award at graduation last May.  They asked her to come back during this very special week.  They told her, "we cannot pay your way or pay any honorarium, but we want you to do this, so pray about it."  This is just like Meredith:  she and Nick prayed about it, bought the ticket themselves, and she is taking one and one-half days off of work using vacation time to do this.  She will be going in the middle of February.  Here are newlyweds, with Nick working and going to seminary, and she working full-time, making this kind of sacrifice of limited time away and the financial sacrifice.  I am blessed by that for many reasons and even challenged. 

When I look at Josh, Kate, Peyton, Nick, and Meredith, I feel so very, very, very blessed.  Thanks Lord, you are so good to Jeana and me.

This coming Sunday our church is recognizing the 10th anniversary of Gayla Oldham as my personal assistant.  She has been a great asset to Jeana and me.  She is our friend, our representative in many situations, and a trusted confidant.  Her husband, Tony, and their daughter, Lauren, have given up Gayla with a great attitude to this ministry on many occasions.  We have been a great team together.  Appreciation expressed from me or others will not just be enough.  We love her and even this time, my saying, 1,000 "thank you’s", seems insufficient.

It has been a whirlwind week ALL week.  I spoke this past Sunday four times, led Ministry Staff Retreat Monday and Tuesday, entertained a consultant and friend in our home on Tuesday night, met with him most of the day on Wednesday, have an incredible schedule today full of appointments, and have given my mornings as always to God, beginning at 4:00 a.m.  Beyond this, I have had three night engagements.  It has been crazy!  However, prayerfully, tomorrow will permit me some time to rest.

Even though the body is beginning to wear some this week, the spirit and vision are alive and well.   I am energized and fired up!  A forty minute walk daily from Sunday through Thursday have enabled me through these years to continue on, plus God’s amazing grace of health.

Now is the time:  the final 4 in the NFL playoffs … winners go to the Super Bowl in Detroit.  Who will it be?  Well, last week was a disaster.  Most fans and professionals are shocked!  I will take a shot at it again.

• Seattle will experience home field advantage, some say the "loudest stadium in the NFL", by defeating the Carolina Panthers.  I do NOT want the Panthers to win!  Please Seattle, fly over them, around them, and through them.
• Pittsburgh will defeat Denver in a great game … two great teams with two great coaches.  I like both of these teams, yet I just feel Pittsburgh will win.  Why?  I do not know.  I just think that their defense will stand strong and that their offense will find some success in that great city of Denver.  It really does not matter who wins this game from my account … talk about weakness … I still have a hard time with the Steelers winning anything from defeating my Cowboys years ago, but this time, I hope they win!  No, I really don’t care.

I just cannot live with what I just wrote on the Steelers.  Oh man, I am getting so weak as I near 30 years of age!

Have a blessed day.

My ministry staff retreat is now over and thanks to you who prayed for us. I did this January retreat in-house, visiting both campuses, as well as touring both building projects. I would give the two days a strong "A" if I was grading it. I believe strategic calendaring was accomplished, processes brought under order, vision shared, information and facts released, future discussed, and the overall vision enlarged. I am very pleased with it as I reflect upon it.

One of the ways to live like a champion is live to win and envision winning. This is what champions do. Do you live to win?  Do you live like you are a winner? How do you expect to win in life, marriage, relationships, job, financially, spiritually, and in every other way if you do not live to win, expecting to meet your goal. Whatever you do in life, you must envision yourself winning. This is God’s desire for you … to win in life!  Oh there may be losses or setbacks along the way, especially from our perspective. However, in reality, it may be God’s way to set us up to win–and win in a bigger way.

You can do it. You can win. Love what you do and you will win doing it. Practice discipline in life and you will win. Live to win and envision yourself winning.

Today is not a practice … it is game day! By the way, every day is your game day.

Great news:  Our local NBC affiliate, KNWA, has pulled the new controversial sitcom called, "The Book of Daniel."   I had registered my concern early yesterday morning in the right way.  The decision was on the brink, God blessed with a very conscious leader at KNWA, and he did what was right; he pulled this mockery-driven sitcom off of the air!  1,000 Thank You’s to KNWA.  Thanks for standing tall in this culture for family values and for being sensitive to our Northwest Arkansas culture.  I had sent my email earlier that day to the General Manager, Mr. Blake Russell.  He responded kindly with the news and I emailed him instantly giving him thanks and appreciation. 

Email your gratitude to KNWA by writing:  comments@knwa.com This is a great day and we need to pause and say, "thanks."  Christians who are involved in trying to influence the culture positively may at times move so fast from one thing to another that we forget to say thanks to those who are trying to stand strong.  Listen, they will get emails from some people OBJECTING to this decision.  We need to BOMBARD KNWA with positive emails of gratitude and appreciation offered in the highest way.

Great news for Razorback Football Fans last night:  National award-winning and decorated high school quarterback, Mitch Mustain, one of the fine young Christian men in our fellowship, has announced he is going to the University of Arkansas!  Oh my, the "woo pig sooies" will dominate the hallways of schools, businesses, and yes, even churches.  I was given the word last night by Gus Malzahn one hour before the news broke on the 10:00 PM newscast.  Mitch is the National Player of the Year for GATORADE, USA TODAY, AND PARADE MAGAZINE . . . three of the greatest honors awarded annually to a High School Athlete.  I am so proud of Mitch and proud for his family to have this decision resolved.  I am confident they feel as if they had 1,000 pounds lifted off of their backs.  I bet my friends Houston Nutt and Gus Malzahn are doing cartwheels from house to house now across America trying to secure other athletes for this year’s recruiting class.

Living like a champion involves discipline; yes, champions in anything in life are disciplined people.  Yesterday I talked to you about how champions love to win, but champions can only win when they practice discipline.  Discipline is doing what must be done, even when you do not feel like doing it.  It involves the highest training. 

If you are going to be all God wants you to be, you have to be a disciplined person.  I realize that many of you say, "That is just not me" and perhaps so, but it CAN BE YOU!  God’s will is for you to be disciplined in your walk with Him. You have to practice the discipline of prayer, solitude, Bible reading, attending and serving in a church, and the list goes on.  No, I am not talking about legalism-let it go-you are missing it.  I am talking about a passionate love for Christ that demands you go to another level in all areas of life. 

Thanks for praying for yesterday’s retreat.  I believe all went very well.  I have another day like it before me, so please pray.

Be disciplined today . . . live like a champion! 

Let me talk to you about something on my heart….Are you living like a champion?  I believe everyone wants to win in life, don’t you?  Oh, there are times we do not understand all that winning may take or we may feel like we are losing so badly winning is impossible!  However, within each of us I believe God has placed something deep in our hearts, a true passion to win.

Champions love what they do.  It does not matter what the race or the profession in life.  People who win the race, win because they love what they do.  For example, a woman who desires to be a wife and a mother above all else in life, excels in her desire if she loves caring for her husband and children.  She is a true champion when she loves what she does.  People in the business world excel when they love their job.  You cannot "work up a love for it."  Either you love what you do or you do not love what you do.  Face it this way:  if you do not love what you do, you are already behind in ever experiencing championship living. 

Look at what happened in the NFL Playoffs yesterday:  passion produced two upsets.  I was talking with a NFL GURU Broadcaster the other day.  He felt that Indianapolis and Chicago would be playing for the Super Bowl Championship in Detroit.  It was all set up for them.  They had home field advantage and had experienced great successes this year.  Yesterday, they both lost.  The visiting teams "out-passioned" them which led to out performing them on the field.  What do we learn from this?  You can make millions of dollars a year and have thousands of dollars awaiting you in bonuses to win it all.  However, if you do not want it more than those you play against, you lose it. 

What do you do when you lose it?  The passion is gone and the love for what you do is gone.  First, pray and talk to God about it.  Secondly, evaluate what caused you to lose the passion to win.  Thirdly, let time tell whether it is "just a season in your life" or "it is a real problem." Fourthly, change your schedule or if the issue is job related, change your job or even your company.  We all need to be re-planted from time to time.  Change is not bad.  Change may be God’s agent to move you back into having a winning drive.

I have a big day today as I speak to all of our employees for a large block of time.  If you think about it, pray for me.  I am on the hill at 12:45-2:30.  Before and after that, I will be leading in an "in-house staff retreat" for our Ministry Staff for the next two days.  It is an important day and an important time in our ministry.  As always, I want us to have the passion to succeed.  You know, live like champions! 

Champions love what they do . . . I hope you live like this today.  I intend to do so completely!