Reflections on 2011 Part 1

It has been a wonderful year, and it's also been quite a while since I entered anything in my blog. I'm writing this with a little over an hour until the new year of 2012 comes our way, and I wanted to take time to reflect on the many good things that have happened this year to the Zockoll family here in Tennessee:

My wife Jill has been growing stronger - bit by bit - and getting help to be able to overcome her fibro myalgia. We have applied for Social Security benefits and still await an answer. Meanwhile, she has made the homestead an enjoyable and Godly one. Jill is homeschooling Julianne part of the week (Julianne goes to Rivers Edge Academy, which is a home-school co-operative academy that only meets three days a week.)

Peter has accepted the Lord as His Savior in a very powerful decision made about two months ago. After quite a season of seeking, Peter called upon the saving power of Jesus here at the house in front of our fireplace after a long discussion with me. Please pray for his direction and spiritual growth.

My job at Grace Christian Academy has been an exciting one. In one grade level alone (10th) at least a half dozen students have come to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Students are learning Koine Greek enthusiastically and the atmosphere in the classroom is powerful.

Sequel Films wants to make my book Gas Tank Chronicles into a movie. There's a lot to be done and I am working on the script, working from the book. John McMillen is heading up the program, and it's quite an interesting project.

More to come...

Review of week

This summer has been fantastic. I've just completed the week of the Summer Creative Writer's Camp and the participants showed excellent talent in writing fiction. I have a few manuscripts to send in to my publisher.
Nicholas and Alexis are coming by this weekend, bringing along their two jolly pets, a dachshund named Jack and a German Shepherd named Sam. These two will mix it up with our Sheltie Misty and the result is an ever-running circus around the house.
The Zockoll household anxiously await the court ruling on Jill's disability. We went into the court hearing and our lawyer said that it seemed to go well. Please pray with us about this - a favorable court ruling will help pay for a good number of bills.
Our Thursday night college Bible study has been a blast. Six college fellows, coming back from colleges around the region, gather and pore over the word. The first half of the evening is a direct study in Genesis, and maybe a few apologetic notes and some Koine Greek. The rest of the evening fills up with questions-and-answers time. I finally called it a night at 11 p.m. (We started at 6:30 p.m. but asked them to stay and fellowship in our fireplace room as long as they liked. peter said he finally got to bed at 4:30 a.m.
Wednesday night Koine Greek class at Oak Ridge Baptist Church is a joy as well. I have about a dozen adult students - and are they fast learners! The enthusiasm has brightened my soul. What a thirst for the Word! We're in John chapter 1 in our translation.
It's back to writing for the summer until school starts for me on August 9th. I have a couple of corporate accounts for which I'm writing - one includes an inventor, and it's quite intriguing. We've also had our first meeting of the Theta Chi Writers Guild here in Knoxville. We voted on officers - I am the president and that means I'll be getting things organized.
God has been so good to the Zockoll household. He's taken us through a year of especially hard trials... and to be able to breathe fresh air once again is a deep and satisfying joy.
One final note for today: you may find numerous articles on the web written by me, and some of them are bogus. A few writing services have stolen my name in order to 'beef up' their inventory of writers. I am dealing with a lawyer in order to fix this, so if you see articles on things like "Las Vegas" or "Breeding Alaskan Huskies", I must admit that I did not write those.
Brad Zockoll, Jill Zockoll, Peter Zockoll, and Julianne Zockoll thank you for your prayers and wish you a wonderful summer!

I wanted to share a key Greek word with you this morning:

In 1 Corinthians 4, and I've found a powerful word for us to review. The time of the writing was when Paul was dealing with a pride issue with the Christians in Corinth. He reminds them that Christianity is not a fashion, but a relationship with Jesus and a ministry! He brings the point home in the middle of a strongly worded passage:

"For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake..."

The word 'spectacle' is theatron, from which we get our word “theater.” When Paul says we have been made a spectacle to the world, he is not complimenting us, nor is he making this an exciting pride-filled prospect. He refers to the way the apostles have been publicly humiliated. This kind of humiliation was both a slam to the pride of the Corinthian Christians as well as a cold shower to wake them up to the reality of service here on Earth. We should be willing to face shame so that others may see Christ. We're willing to step out and show Jesus, no matter if it means alienation or scorn.

May I ask: are you a spectacle for Christ?

Building up this summer

I have numerous projects lined up for this summer: completing the outside painting on our home, laying out a brick walkway, and seeing to the insurance settlement for the hail damage to our roof. I've even made it a goal to get back to running and try to lose some weight. Then there's the Writer's Camp that I'll be hosting, along with some other writing assignments from some customers. However, I'd be amiss if I don't take these "vacation months" and apply the most important construction work...

I see the principle in Luke 11 applies to Christians as well as non-Christians. In the passage, Jesus relates what happens when a man was able to rid himself of an evil spirit... but left his "house" empty. If the unclean spirit were not replaced by the presence of God, then the "house" would be open to other problems, as many as seven other spirits more evil than the first problem.

Jesus' point was that mere humanistic fulfillment cannot replace the power of God (Luke 11:24-26). Yet how many of us Christians are content to fill up our lives with moral and social goodnesses in replacement of the true power of Christ?

My summer is aimed at delving into God's teaching, especially in the book of Philippians. I want to constantly fill my "house" with Godly wisdom. In this case, it's okay to be a pack rat.

The Brad Zockoll household wishes that you would pray for the final ruling on Jill's Social Security Administration's status so that we may get the funding needed for her medical care. Please also pray as Peter readies to attend L'Abri this fall - the location in England.

Mark 10:45

"For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

ransom: lutron - "a means of loosing" (from luo, "to loose")

It's used in the Middle Voice, meaning "to release by paying a ransom price, to redeem." Infact, lutroo signifies deliverance, the actual setting at liberty.

We get caught up in the many rabbit trails of the Christian life and often we even forget one of the most powerful truths about Jesus Himself: He set us free. Free.

In college sports, I tore multiple ligaments in my right knee, forcing me to go from crutches to a cane for a number of months and even through a whole summer. Limping about, creaking and groaning. Stumbling about...

I can then recall the glorious day when I was able to put away the cane and be able to walk on my own two feet once again! Free to do what I was born to do - walk normally.

I can also recall the realization of coming to Jesus and seeing Him do what only He could do - set me free from sin and its grip. I was paid for. I was set free.

And in being set free, I ran back to Him and let Him take over. It's still an incredible freedom.

Back to writing this summer

I'm writing this early in the morning while seated at my classroom desk at the school, enjoying the quiet. It's the last day for all staff - hard to believe the summer is upon us. Yesterday was the final day for the students; a bittersweet day for me. I enjoy my students very much.


Sunday is my birthday, and to celebrate my 52nd year on this earth, I've invited my entire Bible class from the Academy to join me. We have 78 who have RSVP'd to attend and squeeze onto our property this Sunday. This will mean a lot of hot dogs, hamburgers and carbonated beverages will be required - along with a few dozen extra lawn chairs to handle the crowd.

I'll be writing and looking after the household this summer, enjoying the chance to dig into the Scriptures and learn more Koine Greek passages. Jill is excited about the summer months and Julianne is already talking about planting a watermelon patch.

The magnificence and majesty of God! megaleios = majesty .... Luke 9:43 - "And they were all amazed at the greatness of God..." from the word mega, meaning great.

God is good. God is holy.

And indeed, God is majestic!


Please be in prayer for the Zockoll household as we head to a court hearing for Jill's Fibro Myalgia on May 31st. A favorable hearing will give us the needed monies for Jill's medications and care.

Brad Zockoll

School is almost over

We're in exams and it looks like the school year at Grace Christian Academy is just about over. I'll be going back to my writing during the summer - I even have a Summer Writer's Camp in June - and I'll be trying to slow down the pace a bit.

We're going in for the Social Security Administrartion court hearing for Jill's fibro myalgia on May 31st. I cannot tell you how much I would appreciate your prayers on this hearing. The medical help we can receive would be fantastic.

Tonight is Julianne's kindergarten graduation! I will post some pictures of the gala affair later this week. Nicholas is coming back in town to surprise Julie. Grandma and Grampa will be there as well. Peter will also be attending, and I wanted to let you know that he's been saving up to attend L'Abri in the fall. He'll be boarding in England for at least one semester. The best way I can describe it is to let you click on this link and see for yourself: http://www.labri.org/england/index.html In fact, I might recommend it for many of my friends who want to enter into a deeper exploration about God and His truths.

Jill is doing fine and is looking forward to the summer... as well as the repair on our roof and other parts of the house after the hail storm last month. Our gutters are smashed, and so is our outdoor grill, parts of our deck and our outdoor swing. Our roof is going to get a complete overhaul. I'll keep you updated.

So much more to write but I must run....

Reflections during a snow day

School has been cancelled for the third day in a row due to snow and ice on the many country roads here in Tennessee. I am able to catch up on some writing and have a chance to spend some more time with the family. And have some more coffee.

autarkeia is my mediation word.

It's from 1 Timothy 6:6, and means contentment.

The powerful verse says "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

The goal of godliness I understand. It's the contentment that I have a problem with.

I see so many avenues to explore and so many projects to begin. There are just so many places to go! But I realize that I often outrun God's blessing when I do. Some are adventurous horizons. Others are ditch-digging chores. All seem to have a reason to plunge in, but it never seems like enough when I tackled it on my own.

My meditation is on resting in Yahweh's autarkeia. He'll give me the comfort I need. That's why I thank Him.