My family and I HAVE seen the movie Noah. I"m grateful to say that we now have the wonderful opportunity to discuss it with one another, others who see it, & make an impact in the culture for Jesus Christ.

We can share all that we have learned and studied from the Word of God . We can also admit the things that we aren't sure about in scripture that the movie discusses like the descendents of Cain and what happened to them? Where did they go? We can talk about how Cain actually had a son named Enoch in his line too (You can find his lineage in Genesis 4), who he names a city for, and how there was also a descendent named Lamech, just like Noah's father's name. We can then talk about how interesting it is that the line of Seth (found in Genesis 5) has an Enoch as well, the father of Methusaleh, but how Noah's Great, Great Grandfather Enoch walked with the Lord so closely that the Lord translated him to Heaven. We can then discuss how the enemy tries to always mirror & imitate God's plan for His gain, but IT NEVER WORKS!

We can discuss with folks the amazing scenes that are powerful and accurate. We can discuss the things that aren't in line with scripture, and offer corrections found clearly in Genesis 6-8. We can discuss a beautiful scene & conversation at the end of the movie between Noah and Shem's wife that speaks of love, redemption, and hope.

We can discuss Genesis 6:4 with people and the things that are beyond our understanding about the days of Noah. We can freely admit that there are things that are grey and we won't fully understand till we get to Heaven, but we can also stand maturely on those things that are crystal clear both about the story of Noah and the foundational truths of God's Word. We can also discuss with first hand knowledge, why things were interpreted the way that the were possibly in the movie by this atheist producer. What does it identify in him, what he may be searching for, and talk about the ancient struggle between our sinful flesh and the choice to obey God at His Word and receive His free gift of salvation.

We can discuss, again with first hand knowledge, how in the movie Noah was portrayed under tremendous pressure, the moment where Noah saw his doppelganger and the effects of sin in himself and his family, and why the movie may have interpreted it that way. Then we can discuss the horrible effects of sin both in the movie and in our own lives. We can freely admit our own struggles with sin, the way we handle our failures, and how because of grace and the cross we found forgiveness & salvation. Then we can pray that the atheist director as well as the actors can find salvation through Christ too. We can then talk about the horrible screams of those that were not on the Ark that we heard in the movie, and discuss how another judgement day is coming.

We can go to scripture & clearly show people who was actually on the Ark and who wasn't. We can make clear what is true and what is false. We can have intelligent discussions about this powerful story with the culture & our family. We can watch our children's & other believers faith become solidified even more and discuss the difference between religious isolationism and walking confidently in the power of the Spirit armed with the truth of God's Word, and the power of God's Grace into the culture to make a difference for the cause of Christ.

I'm thankful that we are learning to make our decisions based on the power & presence of the Holy Spirit instead of allowing powerful media and other personalities to make our decisions for us. These same people will spend their money in Atheist owned restaurants, brush their teeth and fill their house with products owned by "godless" people, and plop their children down in front of the Disney Channel as they "come out from among them and be separate."

I'm not angry. I'm indignant. I'm sad. My heart aches. Not 10 minutes after I saw the movie I was able to have a great conversation with someone about it. I hate that so many "believers" won't be able to have those conversations because they are "standing for what they believe." I so badly want Darren Aronofsky, Russell Crowe, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, and these influential people to see believers reaching out to them and not shunning them. I want to see them come to Christ. If they wanted me to do something illegal I wouldn't do it. If they wanted me to participate in something that would hurt me or damage my testimony, I wouldn't do it. But all they asked was that I watch a movie. Geez...I guess that's why Jesus was called "a friend of sinners," "a drunkard," and even operating in the power of "Beelzebub." Because He didn't adhere to the "religious way" of doing things. Sigh.....I guess I can be OK with watching a movie made by an atheist.

Just wanted to share what I've learned from Noah & this movie stuff...

My wife Donna Little Carroll and I have been talking about all the "talk" about the Noah Movie. Interestingly enough, back in the fall the Lord really put the story of Noah in my Spirit. I was honestly struggling with this faith walk we have been on. Let me tell you why...

First of all, I haven't really known what I was doing most of the time. When we walked away from the jobs to begin this journey, there were a lot of things happening in our lives. Our oldest son was starting his senior year in high school. I was facing some difficult consequences from some poor decisions I had made, and we were up to our necks with life and a family of 6 people. Quite frankly, October 1, 2010 was on of the scariest days of my life. But Donna and I KNEW it was what God had called us to do. We had no idea what it looked like, where we were going, how we were going to get there, how we were going to make it, and couldn't even describe the vision completely. I tried. If you know me at all, you know that justifying myself and trying to make sure I "look OK" has always been a struggle. I believe a counselor once told me I was a "FLAMING CODEPENDENT," so what others thought about me tended to matter a bit. Well, on October 1st a sanctifying event began and the Lord began to graciously, and painfully reach deep into my soul to pull the root of that issue from my life.

This journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Let me break that word down for you, Extraordinary- "unusually excellent or strange: very unusual and deserving attention and comment because of being wonderful, excellent, strange, or shocking." That by definition is what that word means, and it describes what we have experienced perfectly. It has been wonderful, excellent, strange, and shocking. As a family we have driven over 100,000 miles. We have spoken, led worship, & served in churches of just 15 and some with hundreds! We have never set a fee. We have actually left Forney, TX, driven to Florida, South Texas, Tennessee, and all places in between and didn't know even how much we were going to get paid, where we were going to stay exactly, and with just enough gas and money to get there. We just went! Why? Because it was what God asked us to do. It's been crazy, unpredictable, and honestly unexplainable.

I most humbly bring all that up to drive home a very important spiritual life lesson. I've panicked at times. I've made many mistakes along the way. I am learning that's how the sanctification process works. As my flesh and will have fought to control, justify, rationalize, and fix things, the Spirit was desiring to purge, cleanse, and teach me total dependence on the Father. Let me share something I'm learning: we naturally don't like "total dependence on the Father." That only happens supernaturally. There is a fine line between being "responsible" and being "faithful."

So, that leads me to Noah. This past year, I was struggling with questions. Questions others were asking. Questions I was asking myself. How we were gonna make it? What should we do next? What were our goals? Even though I had seen God literally do miracles. I was still struggling. Then in the midst of my struggle, the Spirit of God into led me to the story of Noah. I turned to Genesis and began to study. I read the genealogy and realized that Noah most likely sat at the feet of Adam. He heard the story of the Garden. He knew what God intended for things to be like. Adam had told his children and grandchildren about the promise of redemption. I realized that must have been why Genesis 5:29 said, "Lamech named his son Noah, for he said, “May he bring us relief from our work and the painful labor of farming this ground that the Lord has cursed.” They were looking for salvation as God had promised.

I studied that crazy awesome verse in Genesis 6:4 where it talks about "the sons of God and the daughters of men & the famous warriors and heroes of ancient times." I wrestled with what that meant and didn't allow myself to fall into the "we know everything camp" about scripture. I read, and studied, and prayed, and then I sensed the Lord simply say, "Look at Noah. Look at what I asked him to do. I told him to build an ark. I told him to do something that had never been done. I told him to do something that EVERYONE thought was crazy. No security. A total waste of time and resources to everyone around him. It seemed irresponsible, stupid, and completely asinine to his family, friends, and the community. But Noah obeyed. Now Steven, keep building your Ark with your family. Trust me."

Then I heard about the Noah movie. I was excited! I was elated! I couldn't wait for it to come out. I watched the previews. Even as I write this I get excited. I sensed confirmation from the Spirit. Then this week, Donna started reading the controversy. She shared with me about the slams against it. The "christian" community rising up against it. Boycotts. Negativity. Blah, Blah, Blah. Quite honestly it was disturbing. We felt indignant. We felt sad. It seemed wrong.

It's a movie. Millions upon millions of people will see this amazing story put on a Big Screen. They'll see things that will cause questions. Believers will see liberties taken that cause them to feel a little uncomfortable, but at the end of the day can we not all be inspired, challenged, and encouraged to "build an ark." We don't know what happened in those years while Noah was building the Ark. We don't know how it ALL went down. We really don't know much of the details at all. What we do know is that an imperfect man, with quite a few issues in his life and family (read Genesis 9), built a HUGE boat, saved his family, obeyed what God told him to do, and began a new lineage that led to a man named Abraham and ultimately to the Savior of the World.

Funny isn't it, that NOBODY else was on the boat. Too much critiquing & not enough trusting that God had a bigger plan. If His Word NEVER comes back void, and I believe that it doesn't, then I believe God will ultimately be glorified. He doesn't need me to out starting or championing a movement against a movie about one of the most amazing stories in His Word. He needs my butt in the seat, with a bucket of buttered popcorn and a coke zero, soaking in the mystery and majesty of His sovereignty and power! He asked me and my family to build our Ark, and that involves moving into the culture and not away from it.

So I think the only lingering question now is "What's your ark that requires an extraordinary work in your life".

This past weekend our son Jordan broke his nose. He was playing Short Stop, in a baseball tournament, and as he bent down to field a routine grounder the ball hit something on the ground and shot straight up into his face. He immediately fell down on his hands and knees. We raced out of the dugout across the infield, and arrived as the blood began pouring from his nostrils. We put some pressure on his nose for a few minutes, and got him to his feet. The coach asked him if he was Ok and what he wanted to do. Jordan said, “I’m good. I want to keep playing.”  He got back to his position, finished the inning, and started the next inning off with a lead off line drive single. It was pretty cool to watch.

After the game, we took Jordan to the emergency room. The CT scan confirmed what we already knew. His nose was broken. There are a lot of details about that next 18 hours after the ER visit I’ll leave out. Things like what the doctor said we should do, what we thought he should do, what was the best thing to do, the advice of an athletic trainer & other athletes, the advice of grandmother’s & friends, but to sum it all up…He played the next day too. :-)

As I watched him play the following afternoon, I felt fear. Fear that something else would happen, Fear that he would be scared of the ball, and I was a little apprehensive to say the least. But as I watched our son face his fears I was so encouraged. As I watched him field ground balls, make throws to first, hit the ball, steal bases, and play the game, I could see apprehension in him too. There was obviously some healthy fear he was feeling, but he battled it, overcame it, and I was inspired and honored to watch our son & the choices he made that day to not “live in fear.”

I believe there is a healthy fear and an unhealthy fear. Unhealthy fear can be paralyzing, but healthy fear can give us needed caution. Unhealthy fear can lead us to make rash decisions, but healthy fear can guide us to wise choices. Unhealthy fear can fuel addiction, but healthy fear can keep us from going back to what will harm us. Unhealthy fear can destroy families, ignites wars, and leave people hopeless, but healthy fear can guide men and women to decisions to make families stronger, bring others to a process of peace, and live  courageously. Fear is a powerful emotion, and I have battled conquering unhealthy fear all my life.

I believe that unhealthy fear is one of the greatest weapons of the enemy. It is a spirit sent to cause confusion, doubt, and render us ineffective in the purposes God has for our lives. The Bible says in I Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

The Bible also says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer” Proverbs 9:10-12.

The healthy fear that Solomon describes is where wisdom begins. By recognizing there is a power greater than us and submitting to the Lord’s leadership in our lives,by faith, our days will be fuller and filled with the rewards of love, joy, peace, contentment, & hope. Solomon also says that unhealthy fear will leave us worried, confused, and ultimately feeling alone.  

If Jordan had lived with a “spirit of fear” then he would have sit on the bench, nobody would have blamed him (lets get that out straight), and taken several games off. But he didn’t. He got back into the game, played well, and then after the game came home and went fishing! Healthy fear caused us to be cautious & aware, but unhealthy fear didn’t keep him from what he desired to do. He lived with Power, Love, and Discipline! The rewards were just as Solomon described.

 Dr. Judge M. Lyle said, "Someone has said that the basis of action should be love and not fear. Theoretically that is true, but in practice it does not work out that way. There are legitimate fears. Fear of ignorance causes you to seek an education and fear of poverty makes you work. Fear of disease motivates you to practice healthy and sanitary living. Fear of losing your job will inspire you to show up on time and do the best you know how to do. Fear of failing a class will drive a student to spend extra time in the books."

Zig Ziglar said, “From time to time I use the acrostic "F - E - A - R" for "False Evidence Appearing Real." However, if the evidence is real, we should certainly have some healthy fear. There's real fear in walking across a busy street without using the crosswalk. There's legitimate fear in driving your car at excessive speeds under any conditions, but particularly where the visibility is poor or the streets are slippery. We must learn to distinguish those helpful fears from the harmful ones. When you can do that, fear is a friend. Until you learn to do it, however, fear can be an enemy.”

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I must understand that the enemy’s desire is for the “spirit of fear” to cripple & render us all ineffective in the Kingdom of God. I’d say he’s done a pretty good job of utilizing that tactic in many of our lives. People live with unhealthy fear daily. When we do, we fail to realize it will always keep us from truly walking by faith and experiencing God’s goodness. Unhealthy fear is always rooted in deep dark places in our lives. We must have the mindset of David after he had allowed unhealthy fear to bring pain an isolation into his life. He said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” Psalm 139:23-24.

David’s fear of not living the best life God had for him overruled any unhealthy fear that may have been lingering. He was done! No more excuses. No more lies. No more lingering issues. He wanted to be on the path to “everlasting life,” and he knew the only way there was to deal with it all.  

We all face questions rooted in fear every day. Will this work out? What should I do? Where should I go? What is going to happen? But things will only change when we CHOOSE to walk by Faith, apply the Word of God to our circumstances, and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit IN us above all other voices.

What if Adam and Eve had applied that in the very beginning? What if they would have recognized the healthy fear of staying away from the fruit God told them not to eat from? How different things would have been. Instead they allowed the unhealthy fear to creep in which caused them to think "God's not telling us everything," and the rest is history.

We have to take God at His Word. Believe that ALL things are possible. Know that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love (healthy fear) God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Remember…“ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

I’ll leave you today with some of my favorite words that Jesus spoke to us all.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

Just needed to share what the Spirit said to me this morning. Somebody else needs it too...

I was writing this morning about faith, walking by faith, and how crazy & uncommon it is today. As I was writing the Holy Spirit brought this verse to my mind.


"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:1-3)

I've read this verse many times before. In fact, I've quoted the "you have not because you ask not" part MANY times before. If I'm honest, I actually quoted it and didn't even know where it was found exactly. LOL! That's funny to me, and I'm really glad I don't live in that world as much anymore.

Today when I read the verse, I read it in context. James is identifying the deeper problem in our lives. He asks two questions. What causes the fighting? Doesn't it come from desires IN YOU? We lack in life spiritually, relationally, financially, emotionally, and even physically because we are FOCUSED ON THE WRONG THINGS!! James says you are focused on what others have (coveting) and what you want. When you don't get what you want that is when the fighting starts!! Why?
*Because we project all of our insecurities, fears, lack, and emotional baggage out onto others.
*Or, when we do get something good we flaunt it and find our significance in what we have or do.
*Or, our identity is so wrapped up in what we have, who we are, what we look like, who we know, where we go, what we do, who we do it with, blah, blah, blah, blah!! I can say all of that because I HAVE DONE IT!! Nauseates me to recognize how shallow I can be!

James follows that up with "You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend it on your pleasures." WOW!! Meditate on that for a minute. Not all religiously with a works based mentality, but Spiritually with a love based mentality.

God is saying to all of us through James, "Look. I've got all you need. I've got all the Love, Peace, Joy, Friendship, Healing, Hope, Finances, Restoration, Wisdom, Resources, and ANYTHING else you will ever need! Just ASK me. But when you ask me, ask with the right heart. Quit asking me for a relationship to make you feel better. Quit asking me for a larger congregation or ministry so that you can find your significance in it! Quit asking me for a new house so that you can fill a void in our life. Quit asking me for more stuff so that you can fit in. Love me most, let me be all that you need, then ASK, and just like my Son told you 'all these things will be ADDED unto you.' I will take care of you. Trust me! Have Faith IN me and not what you have, who you are, where you work, where you go, what you do, or where you live! Rest IN me & see if I won't pour out on you more than you could ever even desire or imagine. Then when I do, you will love deeply & authentically. You will glorify me and others will be blessed what who you are, what you have, and what you do. You will give without motives. You will live without conditions. You & I can walk together in harmony, as it was meant to be from the beginning, as my presence IN you, the Holy Spirit, guides, directs, and speaks to you as you seek Me."

What am I learning? I'm learning that this sanctifying work God wants to do in our lives, to form us into the image of His Son, digs deep into every dark place. It hurts. It's humbling. It's personal. It all must come out into Light of His presence, and when we finally acknowledge to Him what HE already knows about us, then we see lasting change.

Here is something BIG God is teaching me. Nothing new, but new to me. Change is not change when we have to talk about it all the time so that we can convince others and ourselves we are different. That's self justification. I know that all to well. Change doesn't need to be justified or explained. We don't need to explain what has already been done on the Cross for us. I'm learning that true change happens as we surrender to God's completed work for us, through His Son Jesus, and yield to His will above our own, quietly before Him, and then He takes care of the rest. As we go through this sanctifying work, which many NEVER understand, we will no longer lack because we will ASK according to God's will, as He reveals it to us, and IT WILL BE DONE! And we will be so grateful and take a very deep breath.

Wow. I needed that today.

This past week I sat on a fireplace hearth before a small group of students in Colorado as I've done many times before. We studied several chapters in the book of James, discussed the passages, and prayed together. Each evening a different student prayed, and the final night my wife Donna, prayed an amazing prayer of faith and blessing over us all. It was crazy powerful and an anointed moment. We’ve had some amazing times with youth groups over the years in Colorado, but do you know what was cool about this group of students? They were our own children. Hands down, the most important youth group Donna and I have ever led together.   

Over the past 23+ years Donna and I have had the honor and privilege to stand before many different groups of students of all sizes and speak hundreds of times. Whether it was waking up early in the morning to lead a prayer\Bible Study group over a box of donuts, a small group of kids in a home, or an event in a Fellowship Hall, Gym, or Youth Facility, we’ve been super blessed to be in front of a lot of wonderful people. We’ve led worship, spoken, and taught at Retreats, Camps, Conferences, Ski Trips, Beach Trips, & Events to thousands of students but as I sat on the fireplace hearth last week leading a Bible Study in Colorado with my family, I recognized more clearly than ever. That’s where every Dad, who is a follower of Christ, should be sitting at some point in their lives. Men are called by God to be the shepherd and overseer of their homes. It’s not another man’s job to lead our families, it’s ours, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude to be sitting on that fireplace hearth with mine.

Before I paint some grandiose picture of myself and allow you to think that I am some type of model in this area, I must admit that I have not been as faithful to this mission as I should have been over the years. Donna and I have honestly tried to make it a priority in our family, but there have been many moments lost. I look back and see myself exhausted from “leading a youth group,” and failing the most important group I would ever be honored to lead… my wife and kids.

I know now, more than ever, that as important as it is for weDIGit’s ministry to travel & speak to students, individuals, and churches, it is equally, if not more important, to challenge, support, and encourage those individuals to be the church in their own home first. We are finding more and more joy in knowing that a Dad & Mom have been awakened and inspired to love God most, and then watch as they learn to love each other and minister to their own family first.  

By the way, the devil hates it when we begin to apply these truths to our families. It really disrupts his master plan of destroying society by destroying the home. I think that's why we get so "busy" doing church. The enemy loves to wear us out doing "good things" so that we will neglect the ones that need  us most. He even tries to make us feel guilty for taking time away to be with our families. I'm afraid we actually spend more money and time away with other families than taking time with our own. (That's the subject of my next blog....)  The enemy wants us to believe we are "sacrificing for Jesus," but I believe that is why Samuel, who knew a little bit about this topic, said in I Samuel 15:22 "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams."

I’m thankful that over the last 10 -12 years of our ministry the Holy Spirit began to shift our focus.
I'm thankful for a wife that hears God voice and began to truly understand what it meant to have the very presence of God IN us!

I’m thankful for a group of parents & leaders in Little Rock, Arkansas that challenged my “Event Driven” philosophy and encouraged me to think about what it would look like if the church began in the home first.

I’m thankful for a mentor in my life that told me weekly to “BE the Church” wherever you are, and reminded me that the early church grew rapidly because it spread from “house to house to house.” Not because they had a great “Friend Day” or “Outreach Event.”

I’m thankful for the last 3 1\2 years and the sanctifying work God is doing in my life. It’s been painful. It’s been lonely. I’ve felt isolated at times and “like a fish out of water” as God began to expose my true heart, motives, and desires. (They were out of whack to be quite honest) I’m so thankful that He is beginning to graciously shape my heart and desires into His own. He is showing me His deep love for His children…starting with my own family, the community around me, and beyond.      

Even though the Carroll Clan, starting with me, is far from perfect, we are learning and growing together. I know I could have definitely done so much more to lead my family more effectively, but I’m grateful that it has become increasingly more important to us and our family to begin to understand what it means to love God MOST individually first, as a family second, and then corporately with other believers.

Dad, have you ever seen yourself as the shepherd of your home? Have you ever considered that you have a family ministry, children’s ministry, and youth ministry in your own home? Sure it’s great to connect, worship, and enjoy ministries together with other believers in local churches. BUT, they can’t replace the greatest ministry that you will ever do or be a part of in your own home.

Be encouraged! Be Inspired! Be Awakened! You don’t need any training to lead a prayer or share a verse in your home. It may be awkward or last only a few minutes, but the repercussions spiritually cannot be measured. Do it! When you plan your next family outing, attend a tournament or game with your kids, or make time to travel away on vacation, remember that's the most important trip you could ever take with any group of people. Change your thinking! Instead of seeing what happens outside the walls of your home as the “cure all” for your family, realize all you need is IN YOU! Sit down on a fireplace hearth somewhere and let God work through you to minister to the beautiful people He has placed in your home. Remember the gospel spread all over Jerusalem and around the world by moving from house to house to house.