Hurting People Hurt People

We have recently had several painful encounters with people we hold dear. It has once again verified the statement "Hurting people hurt people." I am not trying to cast judgment on these dear people. We love them dearly. But since I have known them for a long time, I know the hurts and pains they have experienced. Many of these hurts have cut them deeply and they still carry them around as a great burden. Their hurt is justified, their pain is real, and many of their words, actions and reactions flow from this hurt place. Carrying hurts like this is not easy. It's like wearing my hoodie in the rain. The more rain, the heavier it gets. It weighs me down, hurts my shoulders, affects my posture. Hurts are the same way. They weary you and are tiresome.

The truth is that we are all hurt people, we are all damaged goods in some way. We all could stand a few good sessions with a counselor to help us sort through the pains of life. But there is a difference between "hurting" people and "hurt" people. "Hurting" people continue to wear their "wet hoodie" and allow it to dampen their lives. "Hurt" people have found that through acts of forgiveness and love made possible by the forgiveness in Christ, they can actually take off this heavy jacket and put on a "light wind breaker" that won't absorb the hurts and pains of life. Paul in Colossians 3 says it this way:

⁸But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these (the list that follows is why hurting people hurt people): anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ¹¹Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

¹²Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

It is a beautiful thing what God wants to do with our lives. May we all find the healing that God made possible through His Son and be "hurting" people no longer.

Facebook

I used to update all my activities on this blog but since joining Facebook, this blog has been reduced to my venting, ranting and sharing what God has been teaching me. Check in here periodically to see what God is doing in my life but it would be better if you became my friend on Facebook. There you can keep up with my day to day life and I will let you know when I have posted to my blog. My desire is to blog once a week but it seems that God has been teaching me so much recently that it has been difficult to put it in brief words. I will eventually figure out a way to communicate it all with you.

Being Set Free From Freedom

Freedom is a strange bird. Its on the short list of those things that we value most. We will fight for it, die for it, kill for it, live for it, yet, ultimately, its the very thing from which we need to be rescued. All freedom eventually takes us down a path from which we need to be saved.

I hear the clamor on talk radio about how our freedoms are being threatened and how our nation will catastrophically change if the healthcare bill passes. Maybe it will, maybe it won't, but that is for another discussion. My point is that we are where we are because of freedom. The freedom to choose led our nation to elect this administration and fortunately in 2012, we can choose again. Christmas is approaching and I am sure that we will once again hear the outcry of saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." We will hear about equal time for Kwanzaa and Hanukkah but we are where we are because of freedom of religion.

Generally, we are all right with freedom as long as everyone chooses what we feel is the right and acceptable path. But freedom opens the door for all paths to be explored and will take us to places that we never intended to go. (Just ask Adam or read his story in Gen 3. He was the first to experience this truth.) And it is at the end of that path, my friend, when we will cry out to the only one who can save us, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Freedom in Christ is the only freedom that matters. Paul writes, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." I love that verse. Its the only freedom that will not lead us to enslavement, to self-destruction, and a bitter end. Its the only freedom that will lead to the peace, love, joy, life that we all long for.

George Bush once said that it was the mission of our nation to spread freedom around the world. I assume by freedom, he meant democracy. But democracy is not the answer for mankind. It may be a better form of government than communism, socialism, dictatorships, monarchs, etc., but it cannot change a heart, transform a life, set one completely free. Our mission is to set people free through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us not fight for our freedoms in such a way that hinders us from presenting true freedom to all for whom Christ died.

Guardians vs Followers

There is a story in the Gospels of Jesus and His disciples walking through the grain fields on a Sabbath day when they begin picking the heads of grain for a healthy, all natural snack. This immediately draws the attention, as well as the ire, of the religious crowd. The Pharisees, the religious leaders of that day, were “keepers” of the Sabbath. This is not a bad thing. God, of course, had established the Sabbath a long time ago as part of the “Ten Commandments.” No work was to be done on this day. It was a day of rest and remembrance.

But they were not content to just be “keepers” of the Sabbath. They took it one step further and became the self-appointed “guardians” of the Sabbath. It became their job or responsibility (so they thought) to make sure everyone else kept the Sabbath also. They created stringent laws on how to keep the Sabbath. It became a litmus test on who loved God and who didn’t. Those who broke such laws were outcast and condemned. They showed more mercy toward animals on the Sabbath than people who were in need which was the greatest evidence that this was misplaced zeal.

So here comes Jesus and His disciples breaking the Sabbath by picking grain and the “guardians” are ready to pounce. Jesus answers their accusations with a statement, “I am Lord of the Sabbath.” He’s saying, “I made the Sabbath, I’m above the Sabbath, I made it for man, not for men to be a slave to it.” I imagine their mouths fell wide open. “Lord” trumps “guardian” every time. And, if they had accepted His claim as Lord, they would have relinquished their role as “guardians” and would have become “followers.” Instead they began to plot against Jesus.

I think that we, as Christians, are in danger of falling into this same religious trap of being “guardians” rather than “followers.” I don’t think you can be both. When we see ourselves as “guardians” of the Christian religion we usually stop practicing the things that distinguish us as “followers” of Christ, that is, faith expressing itself through love. When you are a guardian, everything becomes a threat and people become enemies. He is Lord. We are not. He did not establish a religion for us to protect but a faith to be practiced. Faith cannot be imposed or legislated. It must be modeled and demonstrated. If we don’t realize this, we may find ourselves undermining the Gospel rather than advancing it.

I have a dream! Part 2

The dream for "greatness" is alive in all of us.

We are all aware of this dream because it's God's dream for all of us. I just read Erwin McManus saying the same thing in his book, Soul Cravings, "The maddening reality is that each and everyone of us has been created with a soul craving to become - to become something - something better, something different, something special, something unique, something admired, something valued, something more than we are."
The original disciples were also caught up in this dream and asked Jesus about it on more than one occasion. Jesus never really rebuked them for such aspirations but used the opportunity to redefine "greatness" for them. He described a "greatness" that is not found in title or position or exercised in acts of power and control but displayed in the role of a servant and in humble acts of love, kindness and service. He made greatness possible for all.

Let me be the first to say that I certainly don't feel that I have achieved anything "great" or have become "great" in any way. But God has shown Himself "great" in my life. He took the broken and shattered dreams and fulfilled them all. He gave me a wife that I can't imagine life without. He gave me a beautiful family. He allowed me to fulfill my original calling as a youth pastor and has called me beyond that to "greater" things. I feel a little like Job after all was taken from him in the first chapter of his book and returned to him in greater ways in the last chapter. God is good and God is great!

I have also seen Him do "great" things in other people's lives in which He has allowed me to play a small role. There is no boasting in accomplishment or character when living God's dream of greatness. Our acts can seem so small and trivial, and our words so random and ignored but they become great because our great God takes them and puts His love and His power behind them. We can only say, "God is good and God is great!"

I am still pursuing the dream.

I believe that God still has greater things for me to do, that there is yet a work for me to accomplish. I believe that everything that has happened in my life up to this point has been preparation for this work. That work may be in Denver or somewhere beyond but I am ready now to get going. I am anxious to move forward. I am excited about the future. I am ready for the adventure. I never want to stop pursuing this dream.

I have a dream! Part 1

I have a dream.

My dream began at a very unusual time. It came to me in my darkest hour, during my greatest failure, at my lowest point, when all my other dreams seemed to be shattered. It came to me through a prayer that I would verbalize out loud to God. God seemed very far away and I would shout it out hoping God would hear. "I don't want to die like this, God! I don't want this to be the end of my story!" I know it sounds morbid but thankfully God, in all of His faithfulness, heard me. At that point it came to me - an overwhelming sense that God had something "great" for me to do. And not just a "great" work to accomplish but that He actually wanted me to be "great." This was a bold dream, a completely absurd dream, possibly could be construed as an arrogant dream but, I assure you, it was a God dream. For me, it took the shattering of my dreams and future in order to embrace the dream that God had for me. It took this low point to realize that . . .

God has a dream for me.

It's a dream for me to achieve greatness in the way that God defines greatness. It's a dream for me to find success in the way that God defines success. It's a dream for me to truly live as He defines living. It's easy to miss out on this dream. We are often duped into thinking God saved us to be "good." So we go by the rules, conform to a standard, put on our Sunday best. We strive to be "good" instead of pursuing something "great." It can be a disappointing life to live to be "good." It's hard to be "good." We and everyone around us fail at it often. And when this happens, we tend to write people off, judge and condemn, as well as live with guilt and shame that God never intended us to live under. We were never able to be "good" before Christ entered our lives and to pursue it now falls well short of God's dream for us. I'm not suggesting that we are suppose to be "bad" or that being "good" doesn't matter but I am saying that "good" is a poor substitute for "great." God's dream for you is bigger than that. And, to be honest, its easier to be "great" than "good." To be "good," I have to follow a lot of rules but to be "great" I only have to keep two: Love God and love others. And the funny thing is, when you start practicing these, you find it much easier to be "good" and to be "good" for the right reasons.

And now I have a dream to fulfill God's dream.

(To be continued)

The Mystery of Worship

I've recently had a few powerful worship experiences. Each was in a different setting (in a downtown park, in a suburban school, in a downtown office building) involving different activities (one involved listening, one singing and communion, another involved serving) with different people (one was mostly black, inner city brothers and sisters, one was predominantly white, suburban brothers and sisters, one was with homeless strangers) but each contained the essential elements of worship - spirit and truth. Worship is where we encounter the unpredictable Spirit and the unchanging truth of the Word of God.

I've started to view these two elements as strange bedfellows rather than warm companions. For me, truth, is contained in the Bible. I can hold it in my hands, carry it around with me, put it on the shelf or the night stand. It is concrete, solid, tangible. I always know where it is. It provides surety, stability, security. It is solid ground, a sure foundation on which I can build my life. It is a rock that I can trip over, stub my toe on, pick up and throw at someone, or simply sit and rest upon it. It gives me a sense of balance in a changing world. It lets me see tomorrow. Its predictable - whether I follow truth or ignore it, the outcome is predetermined and sure. I like truth.

But then there is Spirit. Jesus reminds us that God is spirit and somehow, in worship, our spirit must connect with His. But Spirit is nebulous. It is undefined, impossible to contain, unpredictable. It is infinite, invisible, incalculable. I can't see it, smell it, or grab it. If truth is solid, spirit is gas. If truth is ground, spirit is air. Jesus said it was like the wind - we don't know where it is, where it is going or when it will show up. We like spirit but only when it behaves.

Unfortunately, we usually don't allow both of these elements to operate freely. Truth without spirit is rigid and predictable. It is prone to legalism and prompts you to judge. It sets the "order of service" in stone. It formats the sermon to "three points and a poem." Truth is used to tame the spirit rather than to unleash it. Spirit is reduced to a lump in your throat or a tear in your eye as if it is an emotion rather than a force.

Spirit without truth is more like drunkenness rather than empowerment. You wake up the next morning and wonder what happened, what you did, what you said. Experience trumps truth. It is prone to false teaching and misguidance.

But what made my recent experiences meaningful was the presence of the unpredictable Spirit and the unchanging truth together. I went to places where I didn't know the order of service, what the protocol was, where I was going to sit, who I was going to see. I heard truth, sang truth, ate and drank truth, and practiced truth with people who had different perspectives and backgrounds. And when I woke up the next morning, there was a sense of awe that the truth lives in every setting and the Spirit moves freely and powerfully in the hearts of men.

A Sweet Story

While going through one of her Mom's picture albums, Pattie came across a picture of a young lady holding a baby. She did not recognize the new mother. But behind the picture was a card written by the young lady to my mother-in-law. I am giving you the contents of the card so that you can get a glimpse of Pattie's mother and how her love affected even this stranger.

Dear Mrs. Carolyn,
My name is _________________. I don't know if you remember me, but I had a baby eleven months ago. While I was pregnant, you wrote me a letter. I never wrote you back, but I wanted you to know that I slept with that letter beside me for 6 months while I was expecting. That was a very hard time for me but I'll never forget - you wrote to me that you were excited for me. That made me so happy. Everyone else told me that they were sorry I was going to have a baby. But not you; you were happy for me. Knowing that helped me through one of the hardest times of my life. You also wrote that my daughter would be a blessing. You were so right. I'm sure you know from my Grandma that my brother died 2 days after my daughter came. His birthday is soon . . . I've been missing him so much.

I came across your card today and it reminded me of how lucky I am to have my daughter.

Thank you for taking the time to write to a perfect stranger over a year ago. Your words have helped me so much.

I love you,
_____________________

Here She Comes

I received this little illustration several years ago at the funeral of my dear friend, Mark Kram. It has always meant a lot to Pattie and I. We put it in the program of my Mother-in-law's funeral.

I was standing upon the seashore; a ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength, and I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other. And someone at my side says, “There, she’s gone.”

Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and span as she was when she left my side and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her; and just at the moment when someone at my side says, “There, she’s gone,” there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!”. . .

. . . And that is dying for those who trust in Jesus Christ’s work on the cross for their salvation.

Labels, Lenses and Light!

In Luke 11, Jesus makes an interesting statement. “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.” How can “light” be “darkness?” A little background: Jesus just cast out a demon from a man. Everyone is amazed yet some claim He is using the power of Satan to cast out Satan in order to deceive people. Jesus points out the folly of such thinking yet this still creates doubt in people’s minds. And, even though they had just witnessed a miracle that only God could do, they ask for another sign. Jesus refuses to do tricks and says there will be only one other sign given: the sign of Jonah. Jonah was three days in the belly of the fish and then was found alive. So, too, Jesus will be three days in the grave and then will be found alive. Then He begins to warn them about missing what they are seeing. He says others, such as the Queen of Sheba and the people of Nineveh, believed and repented with far less proof. Then He makes the statement, “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.” How we see things determines the health of our lives. Our perceptions influence our actions. The way we think defines what type of people we are. So He says, “Make sure that the light you are following (your perceptions, thinking, etc.) is truly light and not darkness that will eventually lead you to destruction.”

We all look at life and the world through lenses. The more lenses we have,the more skewed our perceptions become. Lets picture this as sunglasses. The more layers, the darker our shades become and the more apt we are to miss what the light is trying to show us. We are in somewhat of a trap. The way we see things determines the kind of people we are and the kind of people we are determines the way we see things. It is only through the power of the Gospel and the truth of the Word of God that we are set free from this cycle and our eyes are opened to new realities and our lives transformed.

Lenses are simply any label we use to define ourselves. The problem with labels is that we tend to take on the characteristics and viewpoints of that label - good and bad. Any label that we take on ourselves becomes a layer over our eyes and can keep us from seeing life through God's eyes and His truth. Here are some of the labels that have defined me: white, American, male, non-denominational (I shed myself from the Baptist label only to take on this label,) conservative, Republican, middle class. I have more but these are a few. It is clear that Jesus wants to shed us of all these labels or lenses that have left us skewed, oppressed and enslaved and wants us to see life through only one lens - that of Jesus Christ!
Galatians 3:26-28 says, "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
Colossians 3:9-11, "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."
Are you missing what the Light is trying to show you? Are you viewing life through the lens of Jesus Christ or through others labels that are attached to you? “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.”

It Takes Two To Tango!

I began reading the Gospel of Luke this week. In chapter 1, the angel appears to both Zechariah and Mary. Both question the angel yet Zechariah is chastened and Mary gets a free pass. I used to think it was because of Mary’s youth or that she is a girl or that the magnitude of the news caused God to handle her more gently. But in reading this anew, I realized that, even though they both received impossible news (the prospect of children even though they were either too old or unmarried) and both had questions, Zechariah’s question expressed doubt (How can I be sure of this?) while Mary’s expressed faith (How will this be?) Zechariah wanted a sign or some assurance that this would happen. God gave him one - the sign of silence because he “did not believe.” Mary expressed certainty that this would happen but asked “how.” She was wanting to know what she was suppose to do to make this happen. She assumed that she would have to take an active role in this process and that a suitable partner must be available. There is (at least in her day) only one way to get pregnant. It takes two to tango. Was she to marry Joseph quickly and purposefully get pregnant? But then God delivers the bomb shell - she would become pregnant through an act of the Holy Spirit. She did not have to do anything. God would take care of everything. Her response is astounding without a trace of doubt, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.” Her cousin, Elizabeth, confirms her faith by saying, “Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

God speaks. He doesn’t waste words. What He says, He will do. I can doubt and live in instability or I can believe and walk with confidence. Blessed are we who believe that what the Lord has said will be accomplished!

Why I Am What I Am

*I originally was going a different route when I started this post but it went this direction and I'm going with it. My mom asked me long ago about my decision of not being Baptist anymore and I never gave her an answer. Here, at last and at least, is part of that answer.

One of the most influential books in my life has been Visioneering by Andy Stanley which I read in 2000 or 2001. Already wrestling with a discontentment and sensing that things weren't the way God intended them to be, this book resonated in me, put words to my groanings, gave hope, lit a fire of passion for something more. It was the beginning of the end. It began the unraveling of the old methods and ideologies that, to me, had become tired and worn and gave birth to something new, more refreshing, real, hopeful, powerful. Because my relationship with Christ had become religionized, my God had shrunk to fit my beliefs. It was time to lose my religion and let God be God and Christ be Christ. This is an ongoing journey and its a journey of a lifetime.

This journey (not Andy's book) is one of the reasons I stopped being a Baptist. In a sense, I felt slightly deceived. I was discovering that God was bigger than the Baptist belief system under which I was operating. I had been a Baptist all my life but I was sensing some definite shortcomings in methodology and teachings. I was ready for a change. Baptist was not how I wanted to be known. It was not how I wanted to be defined. It was not the label I wanted to carry. And it was one of the reasons I chose to be non-denominational when we started our church in 2002.

This does not mean that I am anti-baptist. I love and appreciate my Baptist background. The Pointe Church, where I currently attend, is a Baptist church but they hide it well. Most of my family and friends are Baptists. But I am not for denominationalism. I imagine someone who is far from God and wonder what they must think when they see all the different churches. I remember one person saying that they wanted to be a Christian but they didn't know which kind to be. This reminds me of the Corinthians who were divided and lined up behind the various teachers. One says, "I am of Paul," the other, "I am of Peter," and yet another, "I am of Apollos." (I am trying hard not to be the guy who piously cried, "I am of Christ," but I feel for that guy.) Now it is "I'm a Baptist," or "I'm a methodist," or, heaven forbid, "I'm a charismatic."

I understand the reasons behind denominations and can even appreciate the plusses of being in a denomination but I also believe that denominations have attributed to the "religionization" (I think I just made that word up) of a faith that was meant to be so much free-er, bigger, untamed, and unconfined. We are in danger of missing God and what He wants to do when we think we have God all figured out. It's time to simply be Christ-followers and adhere as closely as possible to the Word of God in our personal walks and in the practices of our churches. I know that there are many denominational churches who try to do this and do it well but for me it was time to go a different route.

The Blessing of my Mother-in-law

Things have gone pretty well since moving my mother-in-law in with us. Its only been 2 weeks but everyone is adjusting well. It has been a lot of work to bring her to our home. Here are some thoughts on all of it:

• I want to say, first of all, that Pattie and I feel called to this. We believe that this is at least one of the reasons we are not in Denver yet. Because it is our call and she is our mother, it is not a burden or a chore but a joy and a privilege to serve her and God in this capacity. That doesn't mean it is not hard or sometimes difficult. It means that the joy is greater than the challenge.
• Obeying God's call often means re-ordering and re-arranging your life. With us it meant changing our whole house. We put mom in our Master Bedroom, Pattie and I moved into Rayanne's room, Rayanne moved downstairs into Joe's room, Joe (and his drums) moved into Ben's room. That puts Ben on the air mattress in any available room when he comes home. We moved our living room set into our sun room and brought mom's chair and couch into our living room. So far, everyone is happy with all the changes.
• It has been a joy to see family and friends that are coming by to see her. We love our extended family and we don't always see them as often as we would like. Our house is open to any and all visitors.
• The hospice nurses, after examining mom, both came to the same conclusion - they believe that she only has about 3 months. They say 3-6 months but closer to 3. This makes the moments even more precious.
• As a Pastor, I am learning that the "show" is on the stage but true "service" is in secret. I miss the stage or more accurately, the preaching. I miss sharing God's word and teaching truths that God continues to show me. It is a definite calling and love in my life. It is actually a place where I feel more productive, useful, of value. But Jesus taught that true greatness was not bestowed because of title but in our willingness to accept the lower position of servanthood and that true leadership was not found in instructing but by practicing and providing an example. It is good for me to see this. It will be good for me not to forget this.
• I'm thankful that my kids get to spend the next few months with their grandmother.
• I see God granting the desires of mom's heart. Living near her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids was her wish and now she is here. She wants to go to First Baptist Woodstock one more time. We plan on doing this next Sunday. To see God care for her in these ways exalts Him in my eyes and heart. He truly is our Great God!
  

A Little Inspiration

These people inspire me and their words encourage me.

Joshua to the Israelites: "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Jonathan to his armor bearer: "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. PERHAPS the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few."

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to Nebuchadnezzar: "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Job to his friends: "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him."

David to his oldest brother, Eliab: "What have I now done? Is there not a cause?"

David to King Saul before he fought Goliath: "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

David to Goliath: "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

Mordecai to Esther: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Esther to Mordecai: "I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

Peter to Jesus: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."

Thomas to Jesus: "My Lord and my God!"

Faith (Part 2)

The second thing that came to me in response to Matt 17:

2. What areas of my life am I evidencing "little faith?
I immediately thought of a couple of areas where I am beginning to be concerned ("concerned" sounds better than "worry".) One of the areas is something that God has provided for me over and over again in the course of my life but the need is arising again. I wonder if God will act on my behalf again. Am I being over presumptuous to expect God to provide this need in the same way as He has done in the past? In Matthew 16, Jesus makes a reference to "bread." The disciples mistakenly think he is speaking of food. This makes them realize that they have no bread. Jesus rebukes them, "You of little faith (there's that phrase again!), why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?" Jesus seems to be saying, "Haven't I proven to you that bread is no issue. Didn't you see how I can provide? Don't you realize that this is one issue you don't have to worry about?" How many times must God prove to me that He can meet this need before I rest in Him and trust Him completely? How long will Jesus have to put up with me? God constantly reminds His people on how He has rescued, redeemed, provided for the one's He loves. A few times Jesus encountered people that He described as having "great faith." They were people that were beyond "hoping" that Jesus would act and lived in the realm of "knowing." I choose to believe that God will meet this need again. I choose faith over worry. I choose great faith. I'll let you know when God acts on my behalf.

Faith

I've been reading through the Gospel of Matthew when I came across the story of a demon possessed boy in chapter 17. The father of this boy asks for Jesus' help and confides that the disciples were unable to help him. Jesus seems very frustrated at this point and says "how long shall I put up with you?" and then heals the boy. His frustration seems to be with the failure of His disciples rather than the request of the father. The disciples ask Jesus why they couldn't do it, to which Jesus responds, "Because you have so little faith." Two things come to my mind:

1. Faith is not evidenced in the attempt but is seen in the results. Jesus continues, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." I would argue that the disciples had exercised a "mustard seed" of faith based on the fact that they attempted to cast out the demon. They tried. They got involved. They did not ignore the boy's need. It reminds me of another story when Jesus says the same thing to Peter when he steps out of the boat and actually walks on water but then begins to sink. The comment of "little faith" is directed to Peter and not to the other disciples who remained safely in the boat. Peter attempted but Jesus does not pat him on the back and say "Nice try!" Attempting may be an act of courage or even obedience but it does not impress Jesus as an act of faith. Courage may allow us to initiate action and obedience may motivate us to action but they they do not necessarily constitute faith. Faith yields results. The lack of results seems to indicate to Jesus that the action was done without faith. "Nothing will be impossible for you!" Faith produces something. Faith never yields nothing. Nothing is impossible. Something happens, something moves, something grows, something changes. Nothing is impossible. Jesus seems to contradict Himself by rebuking the disciples for "little faith" and then saying that mountains can move through "little faith." The Message brings clarity to this: When the disciples had Jesus off to themselves, they asked, "Why couldn't we throw it out?" "Because you're not yet taking God seriously," said Jesus. "The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, 'Move!' and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn't be able to tackle." Am I taking God seriously? Am I attempting things in my own energy or am I truly exercising faith? God honors faith. He honors courage and obedience only as it is exercised through faith. Do I just keep trying things or am I actually doing things? I would rather fail at the attempt than to stay in the boat or sit on the sidelines but maybe I shouldn't settle for just attempting. I choose to believe today that God wants to do the impossible in my life. I choose to believe that He wants to move the mountains in my life. For that matter, I also believe that God wants to move me to the mountains! I'll have to write my second thought later.
   

Last Day of School

Yesterday was the last day of school. I picked the kids up for the last time and dropped them off safely. I signed yearbooks, received gifts and hugs, gave last words of encouragement, and realized how much these children have meant to me. I have a short elementary school route. It only takes about 10 minutes in the morning to pick them up and drop them off and 20 in the afternoon to load them and take them home. Its amazing that those 2 encounters totaling about 30 minutes each day can generate such endearment. But, of course, that could be the secret. If I had to spend 8 hours with them every day, I might not think of them so dearly. Here are a few stories:

• All the kindergarteners came dressed in their best for their graduation program. They were beautiful. One relatively quiet 5 year old girl adorned in a beautiful green dress hesitated before getting off the bus, looked at me with a long face, then gave me a huge hug. It was a sweet moment.
• After I picked them up yesterday morning, I asked them if they were excited that this was the last day of school which they all shouted with an enthusiastic "yes!" I then said "You mean you are all happy about not seeing me for the next two months!" Mouths dropped open and there was a moment of awkward silence when a K-5 student quietly and slowly but resolutely said "Yes we are!" I busted out laughing!
• I received a $30 gift card to Starbucks, 2 $25 gift cards to Olive Garden/Red Lobster and Chili's/Macaroni Grill, $15 Home Depot card, 2 $10 McDonald's cards and $20 cash all with cards that expressed gratitude and hopefulness that I would be their kids' bus driver next year. These gifts and words all reminded me that there is more going on here than just picking kids up and dropping them off. That these brief encounters with their children were more meaningful than I could have imagined. That somehow even a bus driver can make a difference.
• On the way home, a first grader and a third grader sat behind me and berated me the whole trip. Told me I was an awful bus driver and delighted in calling me names such as "toilethead." Kids, you gotta love'em.
• Very few students on my HS route. They get to leave after their finals if they have a ride. So Wed, my normal load of 30+ was only 5. Thurs I had 3. Fri only 1. I brought them pizza and soda on Thursday. One young lady said "I love you. I'm not even going to hide it anymore. I love you." She made me laugh. Amazing how food breaks down barriers.
  

What is the first chapter of the Bible?

Yesterday I began reading the Gospel of Matthew and today I was in chapter 2. It is the story of the Magi and of the baby Messiah’s flight to Egypt. This somewhat meaningless trip to Egypt has always puzzled me. I understand the circumstances that drove this family into exile but why was it necessary in the grand scheme of things? Why was this event so important that it had to be prophesied ahead of time? Would it have lessened Jesus’ claim as Messiah if this had not been foretold and this trip was omitted from the story? The fact that it was prophesied means that it had to be fulfilled but why was this important to God? Is there a deeper meaning to this story or is it just another testament to the omniscience of God? I think for the first time (although God has been using teachers, books, events for a good while to bring me here) I am beginning to see the significance of this story. Maybe I can share what I have learned and am learning.
The Bible is a collection of stories and teachings that, although they can all stand on their own and we can glean much truth from each of them, are all part of a bigger, grander story. Each story is only a part of the whole and we can miss much significance if we do not step back and see how it fits into the overall scheme of the story. For some reason in this story, God wants us to go back to Egypt and be reminded of another time, place and event. God is saying that if you can grasp the back story, it will bring meaning to this new story.
The way I see it, the opening chapter of the Bible is not Genesis 1 but actually Exodus 3. The first 5 books of the Bible are attributed to Moses. He wrote, edited, compiled, narrated, witnessed, and/or recorded the events from Genesis 1 through Deuteronomy 33 (someone else, probably Joshua, had to have written Deut. 34 since it is about Moses’ death.) So God’s written revelation begins with Moses and Moses’ first encounter with the God of the bigger, grander story is in Exodus 3.
Let’s set the stage. The children of Israel are slaves, in deep servitude, bondage to a more powerful empire. They are being abused, victimized, killed by a more dominant people. Their lives are in the hands of a merciless, wealthy, megalomaniac named Pharaoh. And its been this way for a long, long time. Then there is Moses. Moses is also an Israelite but through circumstances and consequences, he is free from this tyranny. He is on the other side of the desert living the life of a shepherd with only the restraints of family binding his feet to the ground. And its been that way for 40 years. Enter God! 450 years of silence is broken as God comes to Moses in a spectacular way (the burning bush) and reveals His purpose and plan to save Israel. God has heard the cries of His people and is sending Moses back to Israel to carry out His daring rescue mission to redeem (buy back) the people that He loves. Moses must give up home, family even freedom to return to Egypt. He must become a slave in order to lead those in bondage to the promised land. The whole OT revolves around this story of redemption that begins in chapter 3 and takes up most of Exodus. Genesis and the first 2 chapters of Exodus are back stories to this event. All that follows this event is how it is lived out in the lives of people and the nation of Israel and ultimately in the whole world. This is the bigger, grander story. God is on mission to redeem, save, reclaim what is His and who He loves.
Back to Matthew 2. People are still in bondage. A new empire (Roman) is oppressing not only the children of Israel but the whole world. Their rule is like an iron fist. Their Pharaoh, Caesar, is also a wealthy, merciless, megalomaniac. Enter God! 400 silent years are broken in a spectacular way. Angels, stars, choirs sing a new song of redemption. But this time God is not sending just any man. He is sending His Son. A Son that chooses to go not for circumstance or consequence but for love. A Son that must leave Family, home, and even put aside His freedom in order to don the robes of a slave and take on the form of a servant. He must become one of them so that He can save them all. And He must go to Egypt. Even though Egypt had long since ceased to be a world power, it is always used as a symbol of oppression, bondage, slavery, the world’s system. And He symbolically enters into this oppression so that God can call Him out, call us out into a new kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. It has been called the New Exodus. This is the bigger, grander story. God is on mission to redeem, save, reclaim what is His and who He loves. The whole Bible revolves around this story. Everything before is back story to this event. Everything that follows is how this story is lived out in our lives and in this world.

The Waffle House Dream

I ate at the Waffle House tonight. Everyone who knows me knows that I love Waffle House. I have always said that if I wasn't in ministry I would either be a pirate or short-order cook at Waffle House. To be honest, I don't go as much as I used to and the last time we went was such a bad experience that I almost wrote them off completely. But tonight it was near perfection! The hashbrowns scattered and smothered were the prettiest golden brown with the perfect crispiness. The ham and cheese omelet was just as beautiful and delicious. It restored my faith in this worthy establishment! As I sat there, I was flooded with Waffle House memories:

• When I was working night shift at Pepsi Cola in the mid 80's, my fellow worker, Bruce, and I would hit the WH at about 3am. There was a fairly attractive waitress that always served us. One night she told us that she had posed for Playboy! We were incredulous. She told us to wait there and promptly left the store to retrieve a copy of the magazine to prove her story. I told Bruce, whom I had been trying to be a light in his dark world, that I would not stay and wait. But Bruce stayed. He stayed until the morning light. She never returned and I mean never. She never returned to the WH and no one knew where she went. It has always been a mystery.
• One of my best friends and a fellow worker in the Gospel is Dwayne Sumner. We we were on staff together at the Hopewell Baptist Church for several years in the 90's. On a road trip, we stopped at a WH and as we walked in, the griddle burst into flames. It was a major fire. Everyone rushed out and they called 911. We got in the car and left but I couldn't talk Dwayne into the WH again. He said it was a sign!
• Dwayne also claimed that I had brainwashed my kids into believing that the WH was the best restaurant around. He would say to Ben and Joe after church. "You want to go to Longhorn's with me?" They would say "No! We're going to Waffle House! Do you want to come with us?" The kids favorite thing was putting quarters in the jukebox. The best music is on the WH jukebox!
• But my best memories are sitting with Pattie and talking for hours with her. We were good friends before we started dating. In fact, we were both dating other people and I would often call her after my dates and ask her if she wanted to go to WH (which was near her house) and I would share all my dating woes and she would give me advice into the midnight hours. Then one day I met her there and I realized what I had right in front of me! She asked how it was going with my latest interest and I said "I don't want to talk about her. I want to talk about you." My life changed that day! A relationship that had been cultivated over hashbrowns and waffles bloomed into true love. I love mine and Pattie's story. We call it "The Story of Us." The WH played a big part in our story. I guess that's why I can never truly write it off no matter how bad the experience is.
  

The Chattanooga Express

Today has been crazy! Immediately after my route this morning, I loaded up Joe's car and took Pattie and Rayanne to Pattie's mother's house in Trenton, GA on the other side of Chattanooga. We are going to stay with her while Pattie's brother, Doug, comes to Atlanta for Thurs - Sun for a needed break and also for some job hunting. Pray for him in this. He had a couple of people lined up to talk to about a job. He is a printer or a pressman, I'm not sure what the preferred title is. Its about a two hour drive. We got on the road at 9 and after a couple of stops arrived at the house at 11:30. I promptly unloaded the luggage and the ladies, kissed them all, and jumped back in the car to get back to my bus before 2 which I did with 15 minutes to spare. I will be going back up for the rest of the weekend after my routes tomorrow. Be praying for my mother-in-law, Carolyn Conway. She is suffering a lot of pain and we probably will be moving her to our house in June. We'll see what happens.

Looking Forward to the Weekend.

Heading to Tennessee this weekend. Leaving Friday night after my bus route. We are meeting Kelly Dempsey and her family for supper in Soddy Daisy on our way to Dunlap to be with Mom and Dad. She lives in Dayton. I haven't seen her or really even heard about her since we graduated. It was nice to reconnect on Facebook and share our stories with each other. She has a great story of grace and redemption. It will be nice to meet her husband and daughter. We are also going to try to hook up with Dave and Mary Snow on Saturday. They will be in Chatt for their son's graduation from TTU. It has probably been about 5 years since I have seen Dave. It will be good to see him again.
We will be spending most of Sat. with Pattie's mom. Keep praying for her and her health.
We will spend Sunday with my mom and dad.
It should be a great weekend.

Lessons in Waiting!

If waiting on the Lord is suppose to renew our strength, then why is it wearing me out? I know the Word is true and that God's promises are sure so the problem must be with me. Maybe I'm not really waiting. Instead of resting, I am pushing. Instead of trusting, I'm doubting. The longer it takes for God to fulfill your dream or answer your prayer, the easier it gets to doubt. And its not that I doubt God but that I begin to question the dream or prayer. Abraham definitely dealt with this as 25 years passed and still no son. I'm sure Noah wondered if the ark was really how he should be spending his time. David probably laughed at being a king while sitting in a cave. I'm in good company! The time between my perceived call to Denver and the actual fulfillment has been longer than anticipated thus allowing room to question and doubt. So today I went back to the beginning when I first sensed the call and wrote down all the reasons why I felt God was calling me to Denver.

1. We were led to Denver through prayer. I laid out the US map and prayed that if He didn't want me to continue here that He would show me another place. Shortly after that Denver pooped up on the radar.
2. The Word confirmed the call. There were many reasons to stay in GA but the Word kept giving us permission to go. We only found encouragement through the Word.
3. It was accompanied by circumstances that seemed like signs pointing us to Denver. E-mails, bumper stickers, license plates, IHOP menu items, t-shirts, TV shows, songs, everything was talking about and showing us Denver.
4. People agreed with our call. Family and Friends encouraged us in this endeavor.
5. My wife was in agreement and also received signs and confirmation.
6. Bob and Monica Selby agreed to move with us to Denver and be our Worship Leaders. They were also involved in the praying and received confirmation.
7. On our visit to Denver, I heard God's voice say that I didn't need to "understand it or figure it all out but just surrender to it because this is where I want you."
8. I had a strong sense that God was done with me in our current area in GA. That He was calling us to another city, a different environment, a special community.
   
9. A sure sense that God still had a work for me to do. There is a fire in me to follow God and do His work. I cannot lay it down.
10. Definitely felt Spirit-led to Denver. I did not dream it up or necessarily desire it.
11. A strong desire to plant a church and do something new.

It is good and even necessary to remember the promise, to refresh the dream, to assure the call. It was real then and is real now. I remain open for God to change His direction at anytime but I expect to complete this task. I must rest in this call and stop pushing my agenda and time table. I must trust the God who loves me, the God who speaks and stop doubting the silence. I must wait and be renewed so I can soar on wings like eagles.

Easter Firsts!

We've had a great Easter. Church was awesome. Great crowd! The Pointe is a great church. Pattie cooked a great lunch and Matthew and Jacob joined us. There were some firsts though:

• First time in 6 years that I haven't preached on Easter. Bummer! What preacher doesn't want to be preaching on any Sunday let alone Easter Sunday.
• First time we didn't color eggs. I have no more children!
• First time that we went to Easter Service without any of our kids. It would be sadder if I wasn't so proud of where my children are in their lives.

Florida Pics

Rayanne, Matthew, Jacob with Nick and Dakota
Me and Jacob
Eating at the Crab trap with my beautiful wife. We had a great time.

The Pristine Jesus

Yesterday, my pastor, Brian Jones, brought up the subject of how we have feminized Jesus and Christianity. He had 2 lists of characteristics on the screen and asked which one was most Christian. Afterward, He disclosed that the 2 lists were taken from the popular book, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus describing the differences between men and women. The list overwhelmingly chosen as Christian was the feminine side. It reminded me of some things I had written in my journal not too long ago and goes along with what I have taught at Axios the past few years on how we have mistakenly thought that our goal is to be good when God has so much more in mind for us:
"Jesus was sinless but not pristine. He was pure but not sanitized. He was not of this world but was in it completely. He was holy but not OCD. He was not afraid to get dirty. His feet were dust covered as He walked among the crowds. He put his hands in the mud, He wrote in the dirt, He ate with unwashed hands. He drank wine and ate meat. He touched lepers and dead people and was not afraid to be touched by tax collectors, prostitutes, drunks and the homeless. He was touchable, approachable, compassionate, available. He didn't find people intolerable nor did He simply tolerate people. He knew everything without being a know-it-all. He was perfect without being judgmental. He obeyed Scriptures but broke a lot of rules. And most of the time, I am nothing like Him."
Oh, to have the courage to be Jesus instead of a christian. To leave my nice, neat, suburban, religious life for something more wild, daring and free. But I shouldn't talk like this. People might get the wrong impression. They might think I'm wreckless or irresponsible or unreasonable or simply going through a mid-life crisis. They may even say I'm crazy. But, hey, didn't they say that about Jesus? Maybe I'm getting more like Him than I think.

What We've Been Up To Lately

• Friday night, Pattie, Rayanne and I helped our church put on a Moonlight Easter Egg Hunt. Fortunately the rain stopped in time and the wind blew through to dry the ground just enough to allow the event. It was a good turn out inspite of the cold and clouds. Not much hunting at this event. More like an egg race or egg stampede. Gave out 10,000 candy-filled eggs. Registered a lot of unchurched families.
• Saturday was beautiful. Started with a haircut at Jenny's and I love spending that time with her. God is doing a lot in both of our lives right now.
• Did some things that Spring just makes you want to do - car washing, grass cutting, dog washing. It was good to be in the warm sunshine after so many days of rain.
• Joe performed at the Woodstock Coffee House that night. That's always fun and he always does a great job. Lots of friends and family showed up.
• Ben is home for Spring Break. Its good to have him around.
• Loved Michigan St. making it to the NCAA finals especially with all the disrespect the Big 10 got this year. I hope we make all the Carolina boys cry like girls like we did when Indiana beat them back in the Jordan days.
  
• Sunday was very good at church with banjo playing and the Lord's Supper. Had lunch at Bob and Monica's afterward.
• House full of girls last night and this morning. Lots of laughing and screaming!
• Pattie, Rayanne and I are heading to Ft. Walton Beach on Tuesday with the Warrington's and taking our grandson's along. It should be fun! We'll be back on Friday.
• I need to be going. Lots to do today.
  

Seeking God: Part 3

The last thing I learn from Jesus about seeking is found in the third story in Luke 15. This is probably the hardest thing we are asked to do but absolutely essential.

3. Wait.
In the story of the Prodigal Son, we see a father who allows his son to leave his home and squander his inheritance. Rather than going out and finding the son, the father stays at home and patiently waits for the son to return. This is difficult because it is an aspect of seeking God that is out of our control. The other 2 things that we discussed (changing our routine and cleaning house) were active while this is passive. The other 2 allowed us to work while this relies on God to work. In the other 2, we at least feel like we are doing something while this makes us feel helpless. Waiting requires patience and patience, according to James 1, allows God to do His perfect work. There are many things going on behind the scenes that we are unable to see. The door that you want God to open or the prayer that you need answered may need others to get on board or circumstances to change and that takes time. There are 2 temptations during the waiting process. One is to give up. We must not succumb to this. We do not know how close we are to a breakthrough. We don't know how close we are to seeing God work His miracles. Today is not the day to quit or give up on your prayer or dream. The second is to choose another course of action just because doing something seems better than doing nothing. The Bible is full of examples of this and it usually leads to disaster. Be sure you are not getting ahead of God and trying to make things happen on your own. We will never know why we had to wait so long until we are on the other side of the issue.

I am in this place right now. I surrendered to God's call to Denver and fully expected to be there right now but here I am. Still in GA. Still driving a bus. Still waiting for my house to sell. Everyone asking when are we moving. My only answer: "Only God knows!" Close friends beginning to wonder if I misinterpreted God's will. To which I say: "I will continue on this course until God shows me another path." I am not free from doubt and I am not closed minded to change but delay and waiting are not signs that my dream is false or my calling unsure. God is working things out for His glory and our good. I must wait for His timing.

I love this pic!

After the game the teams circled up and had prayer. You can't see him very well but that's Ben in the middle leading the prayer. This is as good as any 3 point shot. I love seeing my son taking the lead and being looked to in this way. His coach praised Ben for his leadership, coachability, and work ethic. Its always good to hear this from another adult.

Ben's Highlight Reel

I put together this clip of Ben's game. I hope you enjoy it.

NCCAA Champions

Had a great weekend in Indiana watching Ben and the Emmanuel Lions win the National Christian College Athletic Association's National Championship. We almost squandered an 18 point half time lead but held on to win 67-62. It was exciting. It doesn't take much to cut into a lead. They hit back to back 3's to cut the lead from 14 to 8 in a matter of seconds but our guys kept their composure and hit crucial shots and free throws to win the game. Ben led the team with 17 points. I'm very proud of these guys. They are a great group of guys and I have enjoyed watching them play. I'm excited that Ben has one more year of eligibility. Emmanuel has been good for him. I'll post more pictures later.
Enjoyed the time with my mom and dad also. Also enjoyed being in Indiana again.

Seeking God: Part 2

Seeking God can be difficult if we don't recognize the things that could come between us and God. If God is speaking and desires to be heard, if He is not hiding and desires to be found, then the problem could be with our reception. The second thing that I learn from Jesus about seeking is:

2. Clean House. The second story in Luke 15 is of a woman who lost a coin in her own house and with light and broom searches every nook and cranny of her home. Sometimes we don't realize the clutter and dust that have accumulated in our own lives. Maybe the "gold coin" that we desperately seek can only be found in a thorough searching of our own hearts. Spiritual inventories are a good way to examine yourself. Make sure you hold yourself up to the Word and not a comparison to someone else. Develop questions around the Fruit of the Spirit or the Beatitudes. Here are some questions centered around the 10 Commandments. Use these or come up with your own.

1. Is there anything or anyone that I have placed before God?
   
2. Am I worshiping the true God or an image of God that I have created in my own mind? Am I being shaped in the image of God or am I making God in my own image? Am I worshiping or following on my terms or God's?
   
3. Do my words and actions bring honor or disgrace to His name?
   
4. Have I been observing a sabbath so that I have adequate rest and a break in my routine that allows space for God to speak, restore and revive my spirit? Am I allowing work or other responsibilities to zap all my extra time and energy?
5. Do I have any family relationships, especially parental, that need to be healed or restored?
6. Am I harboring hatred or bitterness toward any particular person or even a whole race? Am I controlling my temper or is my temper controlling me?
   
7. Is my relationship with my spouse pleasing to the Lord? Am I faithful in my heart and mind? Am I involved in any flirtations, preoccupations, or fantasies that if lived out would bring damage to the ones I love the most or disgrace to the name of Jesus?
8. Am I stealing in any way, shape or form? Am I stealing from God? Do I have a spirit of generosity or stinginess? Do I have a sense of plenty or scarcity?
9. Am I telling, living or believing a lie? Am I gossiping?
   
10. Are my desires in check? Am I looking for someone or something to bring me happiness? Is my source of joy in God, a certain relationship or in a possession?
    

Lions Win!

Ben won the first game of the NCCAA Tournament. The Emmanuel Lions beat Asbury College 76-53. They advance to round 2 tomorrow at 5:00. Go Lions!

Just some stuff

Went to lunch yesterday with Rachele, Camille and Rayanne. Camille decided to pick up the tab. She's too awesome! Sorry its sideways.

Had a great time watching Lost last night. Joe Stag and Blake joined Joe and I. First time we've had a Lost party in a while. Caught me off guard. Only had Oreos and milk for snacking. They were good though. Joe's girlfriend, Meagan, and Rayanne joined us afterwords. Had fun just laughing together. We rapped "Thank God I'm a Country Boy." Try it sometime. You'll like it.

If Ben makes it to the finals of the NCCAA tournament, we will be heading to Indiana for the championship game on Sat.

Rayanne's been driving. She is doing very good.

My Second Thought About Today

I'm pretty sure that it wasn't just the drums that moved me to tears today but watching my son do what he loves to do, do what God has gifted him to do, live out the passion that is in his heart. It doesn't matter which child whether it is Joe on the drums, Ben knocking down a three, Rayanne and Rachele singing, or Jenny touching lives through her salon, it brings a parent great joy to see their kids live out their dreams, attempt new things, step out on faith, follow God, live out their lives in their own special unique ways. I love my kids. I see them all succeeding. I see them attempting great things and being great people. They move me with joy expressed in tears and I am proud of them all.

My First Thought About Today

We went to Watermarke Church today to support Joe playing his drums for the first time on the Watermarke stage and he absolutely killed it! I didn't know that I could be moved to tears by drum playing. Watermarke and any affiliate of North Point Church is known for its professionalism when it comes to creative elements. They have been the leader in compensating musicians so that they can pursue their talents and passions in a professional way. Although Joe has been there for a few years in one capacity or another, they have been reluctant to use him on stage. Even this morning, they were still having doubts. But Joe absolutely put their reservations to rest. He nailed it! He played with passion and energy and true professionalism. I have watched him grow as a musician his whole life and, even though I am the Dad, have always appreciated his talents. But today he even amazed me.

I recently read a book by Malcolm Gladwell called Outliers. It analyzes the many factors that contribute to success that are often looked over. It is not just talent or intelligence but when you were born, where you were born, and small opportunities that reap huge dividends. Joe seems to fit in many of the examples. For instance, there is a chapter about 10,000 hours of practice. Gladwell gives examples of musicians, computer programmers, etc that have put in the time to become great. Joe began playing the guitar in 6th grade. We started our church right before his 7th grade year. Joe, Ben and Rachele were our original praise band. Every week, from 7th grade thru 12, Joe had to practice and every Sunday he performed. Now thats a far cry from 10,000 hours but who knows where he would be if he had not had that opportunity. I have talked to Joe about these things and we both recognize how God has shaped his life and prepared him for greater things. The sky is the limit. May God continue to open doors for him.

Good day!

We spent the day at my mother-in-law's house. It was her 83rd birthday. She looked very good. Jenny, Rachele, Joe and Rayanne plus 3 of our grandkids, Michayla, Jacob, and Camille (Matthew was sick) went with us. Joe's girlfriend, Meagam, also came along. Got home and watched a little basketball with Ben. Its always good to be with the kids!
Someone was suppose to look at the house while we were away but I can't tell if they did.
It also rained most of the day. I'm always up for some rain. Its a sign of God's blessings.
Tomorrow we are going to Watermarke Church. Joe is playing the drums in the band and Rachele is singing. This is a big opportunity for Joe. It could open the door for more playing time and steady gigs. He is doing well with his music.
Ben's team is heading for the NCCAA National Tournament in Indiana next week. I'm excited for him.

Seeking God!

Finding God, receiving His wisdom, finding His will shouldn't be as hard as we make it. Especially when we consider that God is a Revealer, a Broadcaster, a Seeker Himself. Luke 15 gives us three pictures of how diligent God is in seeking us out. Jesus is the Master Seeker and we can take cues from these stories on how we can seek Him. Three things that I've learned when I need to hear from God:

1. Change my routine. The first story shows a shepherd who has to leave the familiar place or path in order to find a stray sheep. If you are looking for something new, don't go to the same old familiar places. If we search in the same old places we will probably get the same old results. Its easy to get into a spiritual rut which often makes it hard to see whats going on outside our rut. And often we don't even realize that we are in a rut until we get outside of it. So try this. If you are used to a rural or suburban area, why not take a ride into the city? Spend a day walking the streets, observing people, listening to God, seeing what He sees. If you are in the city, head for the hills away from the noise and the hustle. If you are use to a "prayer closet" go to a park and experience the wide open spaces. Does your church meet in a school or theater? Then why not find a sanctuary where you can lay things at the altar? Elijah went to a cave, Moses to a mountain and Peter to a rooftop. Find a new place to hear from God.

The shepherd also had to leave the 99 sheep to find the one. Sometimes we need to seek outside our circle of friends or sphere of influence. Sometimes those closest to us are not objective and could possibly be in the rut with us. A new voice can share new insight. Be careful with this. Make sure that you turn to someone you trust and respect.

Another way to break our routine that is not implied in this story is fasting. Don't underestimate the value of this. Whatever you decide to refrain from (lunch, TV, radio, ice coffee, etc.) creates space and opportunity for God to speak. It's a worthwhile change of routine.

This has gone longer than I expected. Its the preacher in me. I'll share the other 2 later.

Ridiculous!

I was excited to have my Macbook and be able to drink my ice coffee and do some work at McDonalds but it just isn't going to happen.  They want to charge a;most $3 for every 2 hours spent on their network!  That's ridiculous!  So I moved down to the coffee shop, It's A Grind, where the wifi is free.  This is seriously going to affect my hazelnut ice coffee addiction.

A Momentous Day

Today I am taking Rayanne to get her Learner's Permit to begin driving.  This is the fifth time that I have gone through this and it is always exciting to reach this milestone.  I can't believe that it is already time for Rayanne to take this step.  She is a wonderful and beautiful young lady.  I love her.  We are going to breakfast together and then to the DMV.  Pray for her and us.

Something Interesting

Pattie and I just finished watching the John Adams miniseries from a couple of years ago.  It was very good.  I recommend it.  It was great to go back to the beginning of our nation and see the sacrifice and courage of our founding fathers.  John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were close friends but political ideology caused a rift in their friendship.  They renewed their relationship toward the end of their lives.  They were the last two surviving signers of  the Declaration of Independence and both died on July 4, 1826 which was the 50th anniversary of the signing of the document.  Its a great story.

5 Hours Ago

When I arrived at Woodstock High School this morning, the school was surrounded by police and it was in lock down.  I was one of the first busses to arrive.  They were unloading one bus at a time and moving the students directly into the gym.  It has been on the news all morning.  They have arrested three students and recovered several weapons and ammo.  I joked with the kids but was really concerned.  It was very emotional to me.  I had to fight the tears when I left.  I like the kids that ride my bus and I left them in a threatening place.  I have a grandson, Matthew, at the Middle School.  I was glad that Rayanne was at home.  When we were in Denver, we went by the Columbine Memorial.  Its very beautiful, reverent, emotional, somber, sacred.  We don't ned one of those in Woodstock.  I am thankful that this plot was uncovered and no one was hurt.  I'm thankful that they were discovered before all the students arrived.  I'm sorry that school is not a safe place.  I'm sorry that there are kids bent on destruction.  I'm thankful that God knows, cares, sees.  I'm thankful that His mercy was extended to us today.  

Yesterday

Two things happened yesterday that I want to share:

1. Ben called last night to inform us that he had been selected on the All Conference Team for the Southern States Athletic Conference.  I am thrilled for him and proud of him.  Their conference tournament begins today.  They play Berry College at 2 pm at Shorter College in Rome, GA.  If they get to the finals they will probably get a birth into the NAIA National Championship Tournament.
2. Got a lap top last night.  I am now mobile and maybe I will keep up with this blog better.

6 Days Ago - Someone Liked our House

Last Sat., potential buyers came and looked at our home.  Its always nice to have someone come by in this slow market.  They really liked our back yard.  I was later told by my realtor that they settled on another house.  My realtor assures me that things are picking up.  Her phone is starting to ring more and she is having more viewings.  She says she is confident that our house will sell this spring.  I pray that she is right.  I know God is in control but I want to do everything that I need to do in order to sell our home.  Does something else need painted?  Do we need to change or repair something?  I've been told that maybe God doesn't want us to move since we haven't sold yet.  I can't accept that.  This is not being stubborn or blind or proud but just a certainty in my heart that God wants us to go.  It is not a question of if we go but when.

9 Days Ago - Our Commissioning Service

Two Sundays ago, we had our Colorado Team Commissioning Service. It was a special time for Pattie and I and Bob and Monica. It was great to have our family and friends surround us, pray for us, hopefully catch our vision for Denver, and supporting us. Here are some highlights:

• I first want to thank my pastor, Brian Jones, from The Pointe and his staff and volunteers. They went above and beyong the call of duty to help us pull this off and I am truly grateful.
• Bob led us in about 4 rockin' worship songs. Bob does a great job. He truly has a heart for worship, a desire to connect people to God through music, and the work ethic and determination to pull it off. I'm so glad that he and Monica are on the team. It was also great for so many of their family and friends to see Bob lead. For many, it was the first time to see him in action and I know that they were wonderfully surprised and recognized God's call on Bob's life and were more settled with the idea of them moving to Denver. Did I ever mention that Bob lived in Denver for a few years?
• Besides Bob, the band consisted of Monica on the bass guitar, Pattie on the tamborine, my son, Joe, on the drums. Pattie and Monica also did back up vocals. Alex (the worship leader at the Pointe) and 2 other of his band members helped round out the crew.
• I want to thank Monica for all that she does. She is very versatile and will do whatever is needed to help us pull things off. She'll play the bass, run the sound or video equipment, contact people, plan the service, etc. She has a servant's heart and loves the Lord and people.
• I must also thank my wife, Pattie. I would not be doing this without her and even doubt that I would be in ministry at all if I hadn't found her when I did. Her belief in me is a huge strength. Her love for me is the fuel that powers my day. She has an incredible mind for ministry. She has a very practical vision for how things should be. I do well to listen to her. She has a wisdom that often surpasses mine.
• Now lets get to the service. I was able to share what we believe God wants to do through us and Element Church by using the 4 elements.
• Wind - This illustrates how God is moving us to Denver. There is only one good reason to move to Denver and that is because God has led us this way. We were willing to hoist our sails and let the wind of the Spirit take us to where He wants us to be and for some reason that is Denver. This leading has turned into a call and we have no choice as committed followers of Jesus Christ but to follow.
• Fire - this illustrates the passions that fuel the fire in us. A passion to connect people to the Word of God. A passion to connect people to their Creator/God and Savior/Lord. A passion to connect lives to the basic elements of Christianity - faith, hope and love. A passion to connect to the people of Denver.
• Earth - this illustrates the strategy we plan to use to plant this new church in Denver. I shared with them the Launch Strategy that has been used successfully by many church planters as well as the more unique opportunity through Apartment Life to open up new soil in the apartment communities that are prevalent in Denver. Apartment communities are relatively untapped mission fields and we feel strangely drawn to this endeavor.
• Water - this illustrates the common bond that all believers share. We must all follow Jesus through the water. There is one God, one Lord, one baptism, one body, one mission. This was an appeal for everyone to join us in this adventure through a commitment to pray for this mission or even give to it. We cannot do this alone. Everyone's participation matters.
• We had our entire family come forward and everyone laid hands on us and my friend, Jim Warrington, prayed for us. Then Bob and Monica had their family join them and we gathered around while Alex, the Pointe's worship leader, prayed for them. Then just our team gathered and all the ordained men laid hand on us and my pastor, Brian Jones, prayed over us.
• My former Pastor and friend in the ministry, Norman Hunt, closed our time together with prayer. I appreciated him coming and will always be grateful to him for giving me my first real opportunity in ministry as well as fulfilling my dream of being a youth pastor in my early ministry years.
• A generous offering was taken and valuable monthly support was gained. I am humbled by such gifts.
• I am glad for this day to have come and gone. Even though the timing of our move is uncertain our resolve is steadfast. This feels like a milestone, a significant moment. It feels like we are just that much closer to embarking on this adventure. It feels like the wind is blowing!

2 Weeks Ago

On Feb 15, I was asked to preach at our church, The Pointe. It was an honor to be asked, a privilege to preach, and I was stoked for the opportunity.

• We handed out prayer photos and letters with invitations to our commissioning service.
• I was able to talk about Denver but wanted to share most of that at the commissioning service. So I wanted to spend more time with one of the passions behind Element which is to bring to life biblical passages that have become dull with familiarity. Jesus used metaphors such as wind, fire, water, earth, to paint vivid pictures of what God is doing in this world. He used picturesque stories that brought life to spiritual truth. People constantly responded to Jesus by saying "no one teaches like this man!" I feel like we have lost much of the beauty of these truths by reducing them to steps and formulas. These truths are too free and wild to be forced into a certain formula, leashed to a denominational stance, or fenced in by tradition. I am not talking about changing the meaning of such truths but allowing them to run free so they can take us where they lead us and be the raw elements that make up our faith and life.
• I spoke from John 3 on what it means to be born again.
• I spoke of the wind of the Spirit. God is alive, near and on the move. He is not far away and trying to get us to where He is but He is close and wanting us to be involved in what He is doing here. We are children of the wind and we must go where the wind blows us.
• I spoke at both services. That is not an easy task. Its almost like speaking in an echo chamber. When I was speaking at the second service, I kept hearing what I said in the first and it wasn't coming out exactly the same. It was weird.
• Everyone was gracious and complimentary. Not really the goal of preaching but better than the alternative.
• It kind of put me in a funk for two days. Your adrenaline gets pumping when you preach and its easy to crash afterwords. That's why a lot of pastors write a resignation letter on Monday but tear it up by Wednesday. Preaching can be humbling, it can make you feel inadequate, and, according to scripture, even seem foolish but when you are called you can't help but want to do it again the next Sunday.
• I'll give you more tomorrow.

Flashbacks, Flash Forwards, and Time Delays!

In the first few seasons of Lost, they used "flashbacks" to give you the back story of the people stranded on the island. In season 4, they switched to "flash forwards" to tell you what was going to happen to the people who got off the island. This season, they use time delay by opening with the final scene of the show and going back weeks, days, or hours (whatever the episode requires) and lead you to that final scene. So in the spirit of Lost, I will begin with today by telling you that we are about to head out to The Pointe Church and things are going great and I believe the wind is blowing and God is moving. And, after church, I will begin with 2 weeks ago.

Muffin and Cupcake

There is a great country restaurant in Trenton, GA called Randy's. They have a 48 oz. burger and a 24 oz burger that is a sin to eat but if you do they take a polaroid of you and hang it on their wall. Rayanne and I were there picking up food to go and saw this picture of these 2 biker dudes that ate the 48 oz burger. There names were Muffin and Cupcake. That's awesome!

Quick Hits!

• Loved being at The Pointe Church today. Brian is an awesome pastor and has gone out of his way to encourage me. Can't wait to preach there nest Sunday.
• Got news last week that Pattie's mother probably has cancer again. Pray for her and Pattie and the rest of the family. We went and spent the day with her on Saturday.
• Rayanne and I got to spend a lot of time together while Pattie visited with her mother. We talked about geography, Colorado, politics, her dreams and her views. She really impressed me and I am so proud of the woman she is becoming.
• Had lunch with Bob and Monica at Stevi B's on Sunday. Talked about our upcoming Element gathering on the 22nd. Saw Ross Wiseman, pastor of Momentum Church, and invited him to our event. I don't see him very often but he is always encouraging.
• Back at the dentist today to fill in the rest of my tooth from the root canal. Always fun to go to the dentist!
• Going back to Pattie's mom on Wed. Hoping to meet her new caregiver and doctor. Also our nephew, Matt and his girlfriend, Morgan, and our niece, Stephanie are coming up from FL to see Grandma. It will be good to see them. We had a blast with them this Summer in Tampa.
• Heard from Apartment Life today. Be praying about this. There is an opening if we want it.
• 24 come on in 10 min. I have to hurry. Lost and 24 are my shows.
• I'm in the process of writing somethings down about Element. I will be posting them soon. I want to get better at keeping this blog current.
• See you next time!

Why I am for the Cardinals!

My friend, Dwayne, and I are always at odds when it comes to sports. He loves the dynasties and I love the underdogs. He hates the fact that a 9-7 team can be playing for a championship just because they got hot at the right time and I love the fact that a 9-7 team gets a shot at the title. He misses the dynasties and I'm glad to see them go. He loves the Cowboys, Yankees, Gators and I love anyone who can beat them. I like to see David vs Goliath but he wants to see Goliath vs Goliath. I think its because I am a 9-7 kind of guy. I have a winning record but its not a perfect one. I have some losses but they make you better and stronger. The great thing is that I'm still in the game. 9-7 is still a winning record and that's how I feel. I am a winner! I haven't quit. Don't count me out! I can still win the title! I think Pittsburgh is the better team but that doesn't guarantee victory. David beat Goliath because there was something different about him. It wasn't talent, size, strength-it was his heart. And all underdogs have the same heart. They believe! They believe they can beat the odds! They believe they can topple the giant! They believe they were made for this moment! I believe that the team who wins tonight will be the team who takes the other team's heart. Its hard to take the heart of a true underdog. They didn't quit after the 7th loss but got up again and got back in the game. That's why I'm for the Arizona Cardinals!

Updating the week

• I don't know why but our internet was down for a couple of days. It is back up today.
• I am sick today and I am rarely sick. Just a bad cold but enough to make you miserable. Didn't go to church this morning.
• I did the memorial service for Dennis Frieberg on Thursday. Dennis was a part of Axios and I had the privilege of being his Pastor for the last 6 years. He was a good man, led a hard life but in the last 10 years had surrendered his life to the Lord and it had changed him. His is a great story of redemption. He was a blessing to everyone who knew him. We will miss him.
• My brother-in-law, Michael Labato, lost his father, Roy, this week also. He was on the same floor as Dennis. Pray for Missie and Michael in this loss.
• Someone looked at the house on Tuesday. Didn't hear back from them.
• Bob and Monica are comong over tonight to watch the Super Bowl. Go Cardinals!
  

Mark Feb. 22 on your Calendar!

Because of all the date changing, I told you that I was not going to say a word about our commissioning service until we had actually mailed the letters. Well, yesterday we mailed those letters and the service will be on Feb 22 at 2:00pm at The Pointe Church in Canton which meets at Hasty Elementary School off of Exit 19. Above is a picture of our Denver Team and I am excited that God is finally letting us do something! It will be great to share with everyone the direction and vision God is planting in my heart. Hope everyone will make plans to be there.

Great Weekend!

• Went to TN to see Pattie's mother and my parents. Very good to be with them all again in such a short time. It's always fun and relaxing.
• Went to the aquarium on Monday. It was awesome! It was a great time with the family. The picture above was taken on the way in and then they try to sell it to you for over 20 dollars on the way out. As the lady was showing it to us, Joe took a picture of it. That was a lot cheaper.
  
• Ate lunch in Little Five Points. Always heard about this area but never had been down there. It's funny some of the things you don't experience in the city where you have lived for over 20 years.
  
• Potential buyer fell through because they could not qualify.
• Apartment Life opening is still possible.
• Watched the Inauguration. It was crazy but good. Lots of people hanging their hopes on this guy. We should pray for our new president.
• Lost starts tonight. It aught to be good right out of the gate. Joe and his friends will be with us. Our first Lost Party of 2009!
  

We're still here!

Sorry for being gone so long. We switched internet providers and canceled the one before getting the other connected. Made the switch from phone line to cable line. Hre are some quick hits:

• Went to Courageous Church in Atlanta this past Sunday for their very first service. Thought it would be good to see a new start. They followed a similar strategy that we will be using in Denver. It was awesome! Love the pastor. Looking forward to hooking up with him again.
• Tuesday, I had a root canal. Can you believe that I actually fell asleep during the procedure? The dentist had to keep waking me up to keep my mouth open.
• Had someone look at the house yesterday. They seem interested. Please pray that our house sells this month.
• We didn't make it to the aquarium. Pattie got sick so we rescheduled for this coming Monday.
• Brian Jones. the pastor of The Pointe Church, has asked me to preach on Feb 15. I am excited!
• Jack Bauer and 24 are back on TV. I've missed him. Its been good so far.
• American Idol is also back. I am a little tired of the tryout shows.
• Lost starts next wed. Can't wait! Best show on TV.
• I am all in with the Arizona Cardinals which doesn't bode well for them. Everyone I have cheered for has lost.
• NCAA Football is a joke. Its the only championship you don't actually win. You are voted champ by sports writers and coaches. They need a playoff system and get rid of all these meaningless bowl games.
• That's all for now.