In His Presence There Is Fullness of Joy

A classic line from the movie "Chariots of Fire" has Eric Liddell sharing "when I run I feel God's pleasure." God's pleasure moves us all toward reality. The reality of knowing God's pleasure or longing for God's pleasure accompanies us on our journey through life. This reality commands the attention of every human being, whether or not said human being acknowledges that Jesus is Lord. Romans 1 tells us that all of creation points to the Creator. All humans have a sense that God is real, and our pursuits while breathing the air He created are an effort to fill the emptiness that sin created with the very first act of disobedience so long ago. Many have found the source of joy in a relationship with Jesus Christ, having repented of our sin, having believed in the resurrection, and having confessed Him as Lord. Others still search, needing someone to bring them into a conversation of introduction to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

My experience with Jesus began as a child when I confessed my sin and invited Jesus into my life. I didn't know all that I know now, nor did I remain as close to Him as my initial commitment promised I would remain. I did love Jesus, though, and I knew that I needed Him as much as I needed the aforementioned oxygen so often taken for granted. One anchor for my life was hiding God's word in my heart. Psalm 119:11 promises protection for those who treasure God's word. I didn't know that my mother and other parents were making eternal investments. Nevertheless, the simple Southern Baptist program known as Bible Drills built a fortress within me and around me that continually drew me back to Christ as I strolled somewhat unaware along paths that often did not honor Christ. I'm not a big fan of programs, yet the baby shouldn't be thrown out with the bathwater (I heard someone say that once). The Spirit of God continues to use the Word of God as a "lamp to my feet and a light to my path." These parents worked in cooperation with the church to make sure that a small group of kids in a small town church grew to be devoted followers of Christ.

Our first church assignment completely out of seminary was at St. Andrew Baptist Church in Panama City, Florida. My first meeting with the search committee came after a conversation with the pastor, who later became a friend. He told me that the search committee had a variety of personalities representing different congregational desires. Some wanted a Christian social group for their children to be involved in. Others wanted someone who would keep their kids away from drugs, sex, and alcohol. Others wanted strong theological teaching and a firm grasp on the rapture and tribulation. Each committee member was a great choice for the church because ultimately they all wanted what they believed to be best for their kids. Each committee member became a friend over the course of time. One committee member, however, stood out above the rest. I remember asking what they wanted for the youth ministry. Her answer landed deep within me as she said, "I want my girls to love Jesus more than anything else in their lives. I want them to have a relationship with Him that will change their lives forever." That statement pretty much did it for me, and I prayed from that point on that if God allowed me to serve this congregation as student pastor, He would also fill the hearts and lives of students who loved Him more than anything else. 

After the church graciously called me to minister to some of the most amazing students that have ever lived, I realized that this young mother was not the only one who felt the way she did. She had a sister and an extended family that wanted the same things. Grandparents came alongside parents and grandchildren to build a faith that would overcome illness, death, disease, and other evidences that in this world we will have trouble. Friends and acquaintances began to surface pointing to the truth of Christ when he proclaimed, "And if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me." For about four years, the Lord allowed us to minister in Panama City. During that time, I had the privilege of leading a small group of young men as they navigated their faith journey. I was young and impatient, and didn't do as good a job as I could have, yet even today God reminds me that some plant, others water, but God brings the growth. Through small groups like this one, we did see tremendous growth in the lives of students. Many of them are still connected with their small group leaders today, looking to that significant adult as a primary spiritual catalyst in their lives. We engaged adults from all walks of life to pray for students, to teach students, to lead students, to listen to students, and to cry with students. These adults poured their lives into seeing God's glory shine in the lives of students. Our goal was for everyone to have someone to help each one love Jesus more than anything else in their lives and to have a relationship with Christ that would change their lives forever. We have tremendous memories from our time there. We have relationships that will last forever, and children who bear the names of those we loved there. We learned from experience watching parents connect with and partner with the church that it takes a family and a church working together for kids to embrace Christ fully and to grow into adults who make wise choices as they transfer their dependence from parents onto Jesus. Karen and I, along with our three children, continue to develop as relationships from this early ministry position live on in the fabric of our lives today. 

We moved from Panama City in 1997. We had children we have tried to raise according to biblical principles and following the examples we saw in the families we served in Panama City. One other family from a church in North Carolina was also inspiring. As we raised our children in central Florida we met other parents who also wanted to raise their children to love the Lord with all of the hearts and to embrace Him fully. The difficulty was that finding a church in that town was no easy task, and many of our friends attended different congregations.

In 2009, an opportunity presented itself for me to return to full time ministry as the Minister to Families in a Baptist church in a small Florida town. This time in ministry was a highlight for our family, and I pray for many others, as we saw firsthand what happens when faith and family collide for life-changing results. The ministry started small but seemed to gain some momentum when Karen and I attended a family ministry conference with another couple from the church. We shared together, dreamed together, laughed together, and committed together to do all we could do in God's power to see families flourish for Christ in our small town. The ministry expanded as other couples came on board. One particular inspiration was a grandfather who completely immersed himself in the ministry because he desperately desired - and still desires - to pass on a legacy of faith throughout his family. A father took some steps of obedience in his life, and the Lord blessed him and his family through significant struggles, ultimately allowing he and his wife to adopt a beautiful baby girl into their family. Another couple took the Lord at face value when He promised that He would cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I learned how to live in Jesus through the storm from them, and they also were blessed through the gift of adoption as God expanded their influence in the lives of children. One couple, with children in high school and beyond, sought out ways to support and encourage others, with their own children serving as a model that Christlikeness was possible. Another couple came on board and eventually one of them joined us on staff to be part of a team focused on growing a healthy church. God brought our church a youth minister and his precious bride with a heart for Kingdom expansion in the lives of students and families. Still another family engaged from grandparents to grandchildren and worked tirelessly in the church and in the community to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to serve the Lord and make a difference on the baseball field, in athletic associations, and even in government positions. They continue to strive to be light and go against the grain of business as usual and the confusion between politics and the church.

Today the family ministry continues in new and exciting ways as one young lady, her husband, and others she has recruited live out what it means to fight the good fight. She really believes that God loves families and that He wants all families to experience the fullness of life in Christ. This young lady joined us early on, volunteering to help in any way possible. She was new to the ministry scene, and in a small town, newness can be tough to overcome - except for those who press on for the higher calling that is theirs in Christ Jesus. Family ministry in this body of believers continues to expand as a remnant of people continue moving forward in spite of obstacles that would stand in their way.

We have moved from Chariots of Fire to Trials by Fire (another name for church work - just kidding). Where is the common thread? The thread begins with the quote. He said, "when I run I feel God's pleasure." Many of us wonder why we don't have the joy we once had in Christ or the enthusiasm that makes serving Jesus so captivating. Psalm 16 reminds me that "in His presence there is fullness of joy." Only in His presence. Not around His presence or in efforts to fabricate His presence. Only in His presence can we find the pleasure of God. 

My merciful Jesus has reminded me that there is a time when I most feel the pleasure of God. When I am part of equipping families (mine and others) to love Jesus more than anything and to have a relationship with Him that changes their lives forever, I feel God's pleasure. Maybe this equipping is in teaching or developing materials. Maybe it is in struggling together with other parents. Maybe even it is in engaging the enemy on spiritual battlegrounds that he has no hold over. Maybe it is in seeing families come together, in parents embracing adoption, in grandparents playing a role in a Family Experience, in moms and dads taking small, obedient steps, in young men and women marrying and trying to live out the principles of faith they have learned from faithful mentors and parents, in a young man and his wife willing to move a new place to help others dream the dream, in a young lady who gives her very existence to seeing kids and families know Jesus more, in walking alongside families as they grieve or as they celebrate. Whatever shape the equipping takes and in whatever role the equipping comes, I feel God's pleasure when I am about the work He has set before me to do. 

I started kind of a series with my last post about the 17 churches I have been connected with in 47 years. Remember, the negative experiences were heavy, but they are not all consuming. Being able to be part of the church and family colliding for supernatural growth certainly makes me smile as I consider the mercy, the grace, and the glory of God.

Where do you feel God's pleasure? The enemy loves to distract us into seeking pleasure around God's presence, outside of God's presence, and even in made up play scenes of God's presence. Only in His presence will we find the pleasure He wants us to have. Seek Him, embrace Him, serve Him, enjoy Him. He loves you and wants to be glorified in you!!

More Than A Name

Calvary. Trinity. First Starkville. First Booneville. First Calhoun City. Valence Street. First Franklinton. St. Andrew. First Hattiesburg. Highlands. Church at the Springs. First Ocala. New Testament. Highlands (a different one from before). First Wauchula. First Trenton. West Jackson.

That's a pretty long list. I'm almost 47 years old, and I've been in church since before I was born. Over the last 47 years, then, I've been connected to 17 churches. That averages out to a different church every 2.76470588 years. You don't need a seminary degree, a MBA, or even a high school education to conclude along with me that my church experience has been unhealthy - or irregular - at best. From childhood, I learned that to be part of a church means to be part of a conflict. The first conflict I was exposed to as a child was between the preacher and the minister of music, along with those who felt the need to "join a camp." The enemy hasn't come up with any new tricks, it seems, because in every church I've ever been a part of (with only a few exceptions) a battle has raged in some form between a "music camp" and a "preaching/teaching camp." Some of the churches have split over the issues. Others have remained intact but divided. At least one has ceased to exist.

Looking back over the list of churches, I remember conflicts over speaking in tongues, morality, power, liberalism, racism, ego, staff, teaching, style, deacons, personnel issues, false theology, and more. I cannot remember any brokenness over the lost in our society, the struggle in families, the hopelessness of people wandering around like sheep without a Shepherd. I'm not saying that the brokenness didn't exist. It's just that the conflicts were so strong that they overshadow the work that God might have been trying to accomplish. I also don't remember any attacks on the church from outside of the church. They all came from those within the body.

Don't stop reading yet. There are some notable exceptions, and over the next few posts, I hope to do justice to many beautiful portraits of the body of Christ that I have experienced. For tonight, though, let's just consider that of the 17 organizations that I have been connected with bearing the label of a "fellowship of called out ones," the actual number of biblical churches seems small. Again, that is not to say that within the organizations there are not remnants of people who make up a "fellowship of called out ones." Actually, in every church I have been a part of I can highlight those who made up a biblical church.

This time of year takes me back to a time twice in my life when the Lord has called me away from a full time ministry within the institutional church to living a life on mission as what those within the church call a lay person. I looked the word up, and it simply means someone who is involved but not part of a specific profession. People asked me on both occasions if I was "quitting the ministry." My answer has been the same, and it sounds something like "God's calling on my life isn't tied to getting my paycheck from the church. If the Lord wants to finance His mission through me by using a secular organization, who am I to question Him?" The answer is true and biblical. It just may not be complete. I never quit the ministry. I believe instead that God has so much more work to do in me to make me a true Kingdom expander. A lot of my past still has to find it's rightful place. Skepticism needs to be repackaged. Walls still need some doors and windows for people to access.

I love the body of Christ. Being part of a group of people who love the Lord ignites something in me that I cannot explain. More than anything, experiencing the mending and molding of families into Christlikeness takes me deep into the heart of God for His people. Seeing the body of Christ abused and mistreated makes me angry. Jesus died for His bride, and what we as His people have done to her is inexcusable. I pray for God's mercy, knowing that along with others, I have too often been involved in discussions and activities that did more to diminish God's glory that radiate God's glory.

Tomorrow morning, many who wear the label "Christian" will wake up, get dressed up, and "attend church." For many, the experience is simply an attendance. For others, the experience is an opportunity to engage with other Christ followers. We will all pass by many buildings of various names that have one word in common on their sign. CHURCH. As I read the words of Christ to the churches of Revelation along with God's word to Ezekiel in the Old Testament, I am reminded that the name on the sign is not always reflective of what is happening inside the building. God will not share His glory with anyone or any institution. May we all find the opportunity to be part of a "fellowship of called out ones" that is a foreshadowing of Revelation 19:6-9. John writes,

"Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure for the fine linien is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, 'Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb."

I pray along with Jesus, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Broken

Today I noticed a broken flower pot outside our front door. I'm not sure why I noticed it particularly today since I have been noticing it generally for weeks. The wind knocked it over sometime this summer. I remember walking outside and seeing it wounded on the sidewalk with the contents spilled out for the elements to destroy. With the rain still beating heavily into the earth and the wind blowing dramatically against the house, I decided that picking the mangled pieces up could wait. A few days later, I did move the pieces of the pot into an old red wagon that sits strategically in the flowerbed for such a time as this one. The pieces are still in the wagon.

Why do people keep broken things? Broken bicycles, broken watches, broken telephones. The junk drawer is filled with little broken items that we keep for no real reason whatsoever. Do you remember Fred Sanford? He made a living out of collecting broken things. His junk yard delighted many a person in search of something broken. Actually I don't remember anyone ever coming to buy anything from Fred's junkyard, but lack of customer support didn't squelch LaMonte's enthusiasm as he drove around in that pink truck looking for treasure. Go to any yard sale, and you'll find that in the middle of lots of items that you might possibly decide you want to buy, there will certainly also be something broken with a price tag on it.

The broken pot draws my attention to the truth that broken things aren't the only things we hold onto unnecessarily. We also hold onto broken hearts, broken relationships, and broken dreams. Poor choices, life circumstances and misspoken words all threaten to crush the deep parts of our lives that we hold onto with delicate care. Shelves are lined with books that give us answers crafted by people who do not know our situation or our need. The books create more frustration, or at best, they provide a temporary salve that in its pretense to be a glue can cause more crushing of the broken pieces.

For now, I am leaving the broken pot right where it sits. The pieces are a reminder that life doesn't always work out the way we planned and that God doesn't always put the pieces back together as quickly as we might like. The broken pieces reinforce that cracked pots need something to become useful. Cracked pots need Someone to become useful. What if God's purpose for the season is not for us to know what we will become but instead is for us to know the One who has that answer? What if the brokenness is really God's way to teach us to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10) or to cast all of our cares on Him since He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7)?

Paul wrote, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Cor. 4:7). If you have a few broken moments, take time to read the next few verses. Paul reminds us that when we are broken and crushed, the Lord is glorified in us. His beauty through our brokenness. What if we never know the purpose of the brokenness? What if the pieces remain as continual reminders of our shattered dreams, damaged relationships, and broken hearts? By faith, we have to trust that in our weakness, He is strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory behond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things are unseen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:17-18, ESV).

Stink on the Train

Surely you've heard the country song, "Getting Drunk on a Plane." Well, in my travels, I've seen quite a bit of that song become reality as I sit across from folks drowning their sorrows, their business, their stuff in whatever is available from the service cart. I am waiting for the next country song, and since it hasn't come out yet, I'm thinking about writing it. I already have a working title. Wait for it ...... "There Is Some Stink On This Train."

Imagine the experience. You've been working in the heat of Florida all day, and finally you get to the nice, cool terminal in the airport. You board a plane that is way too small for the passengers who are boarding - especially for that lady who is bringing all of her personal items in overstuffed specialty shop bags. Somehow the carryon rules must not apply to paper bags. Anyway, you find your seat and soon realize that someone is aggressively squeezing in next to you. The flight soars into the clouds, and the trip is underway. You get a nice cup of orange juice - no ice please - and a bag of pretzels. The plane lands just as the nice man sitting beside you starts to lean over into your seat, and the cabin door opens to freedom. You manage to get up the jetway, find your connecting gate on the board, and head to the underground transportation system that the airport has so graciously provided for your convenience. You wait as the digital display tells you that the train is arriving in a matter of seconds. The door opens, and you find a spot. Then it happens. The all too familiar aroma wafts its way into the personal space you call nostrils. You try to hold your breath, but the trip is just seconds too long. You look for another spot, but the smell has permeated the entire train.

What would you expect actually? All of the safety straps/handrails are located conveniently on the ceiling from the train, hanging there ever so nicely for everyone to reach up and expose what should be kept close to the vest. What ever happened to 24 hour deodorant? The Old Spice has gotten old, and the Axe has lost its edge. I should set up a shop near the train to sell fresh antiperspirant, baking soda, coffee grounds, candles - anything to bring solace to the obnoxious attack on the senses.

There is another option. You can actually walk between terminals. It's a little bit longer, and it's hard on the knees, but the tradeoff would be worth it. What's worse is that the stink is no respecter of persons. Young, old, male, female - you never know who the culprit will be until you find yourself standing next to them for the longest 90 seconds you've ever experienced.

The train reminds me of life in a way. People have lots of stink. I suppose we all do. Stuff builds up inside of us, and eventually it just begins to smell. Bitterness, anger, pain, and a host of other emotions threaten to fumigate the air around us. Second Corinthians tells us that "we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life (2 Corinthians 2:15-16). The aroma of Christ. That's a good word from a man who spent a lot of time in prisons and locked up in the bottom of boats, in addition to an extensive travel itinerary that took him across land and sea. I wonder if he would have walked from terminal to terminal or taken the train? Hmmmm.

What is the lesson for me to learn from this life experience and the truth of God's word? Scripture reminds me that the only way people will see Jesus is if they see Him in me and hear of His good news from my mouth. The stuff that I keep buried down has got to go before it begins to seep from my pores in ways that actually push people away from Christ. The best way I know to get rid of a smell is to wash the source. Jesus told his followers in John 15:3 that they were already clean because of the word He had spoken to them. Paul went on to say in Ephesians that "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word ..." (Ephesians 5:25-26).

O King Jesus, wash me through and through with the word of Truth. With the psalmist, I pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit with me" (Psalm 51:10).

Time To Wiggle

Monday I heard something that made me realize part of what I have lost. We have a beautiful pond outside of our house, and our youngest son was outside fishing. Our daughter, Caroline, and I went outside to be with him, and when we reached the edge of the pond, Caroline asked for a chance. David handed her the pole (which could have also been influenced by the chocolate milkshake she traded with him), and she cast the line. As the sun spread across the pond and the water moved ever so slightly, I heard Caroline say to David, "If you move the line a little it makes the bait look more real. Uncle Chip taught me that." The Spirit of God moved inside my heart like He has done several times over the last few weeks and prompted me to remember where we have been and to ponder where the Lord has us today.

First, you need to know Uncle Chip. If only you could meet him, you would be so blessed. If you don't know him, but know Jesus, you can meet him one day. Several years ago, he made a move that none of us expected. The Lord, in His sovereign authority, took Chip to heaven, leaving a longing and a legacy. Of all of the weddings he ever photographed and all of the bridal portraits he has ever taken, I know that if he visited us today he would tell us of the brilliance of the Bridegroom who is awaiting His bride's entrance into eternity. Oh to worship around the throne of God. 

From Caroline's comments, you can see that Chip made a difference in the lives of our children in many ways. Some big and some small. He also made a difference in mine and Karen's life too. Of all of the things that come to my remembrance when I think of Chip, the one impression that seems to be the most significant for today is that Chip enjoyed life in the moment. It's not that he didn't ever plan or that he ignored lessons from the past. It's just that he let today filter the portrait of everything else. The blessings of today were the result of struggles from the past and the landscape for the portraits of tomorrow. The hardships of today were yesterday's reminders that we should seize every opportunity we have before us and tomorrow's cry that blessings sometimes come in the rain. 

As I heard Caroline reveal one of Chip's many fishing tricks to David, I realized that the Lord was revealing one of his fishing tricks to me. If I am to be part of Kingdom expansion, then I have to be cast into the middle of the pond and moved around a bit. Life happens when we wiggle a bit, and it would seem that instead of wiggling I've been allowing some weight to let me just plop. I hope you are not letting your imagination run wild with you. I'm not talking about me getting up and wiggling some of this middle-aged weight around - too many people are doing that already. Have you been to a county fair lately?? I'm talking about being shaken, broken, and poured out for His glory. Simmered, percolated, hot brewed, if you will.

By the grace of God, Chip's words rang out loud and clear yesterday, and today is a bit of a declaration day for me. Mamaw used to say, "I declare, that James Stenbeck is alive again ...." Another blog another day. I think the "I declare" was a way to express shock and determination all at once. Well, I am shocked at where I've let myself end up, and I am determined - by the grace of God - to be less the way I am and more like Chip - ultimately because Chip reminds me more of Jesus.

So here goes .....

1. I declare that the enemy has no more hold over my insecurities. In every church I have ever served, the enemy has used one or two people to tap into my insecurities and steal my joy. No more, big guy. These insecurities have led me to stop many things that God has designed for me. This blog for instance. One of the last times I wrote was over a year ago. I made a joking reference that is common in Baptist circles. An instrument of Satan from central Florida sent an "anonymous" comment accusing me of all kinds of things, and in particular of being a secret agent of darkness. Now any reasonable human being would not give any weight to an "anonymous" comment accusing him of acting in secret. HELLO POT; MEET THE KETTLE. Obviously I'm not a reasonable human being because that comment triggered an insecurity and doubt in me that this same person had been actively part of stoking during my time in ministry in central Florida. I suppose that my knowing who the comment came from (because the person used the same "anonymous" words that had previously been spoken) didn't help the situation. But you know what the Lord said as I rethought it all? "To serve Me, you've got to be cast into the midst of the pond and wiggle a little bit." Wiggle, not drop dead!!! And on top of that, no one is ANONYMOUS to God. ANONYMOUS always get's theirs in the end - literally and figuratively because God always balances His books.

2. I declare that the enemy has no more hold over my daily living. This one is tied closely to my insecurities. Most days, I am traveling to places that are far from home. While I am away, I miss my family dearly. I miss the closeness, the conversation, the opportunity to be together. I feel left out and alone much of the time. The cloud that hovers over me doesn't affect my work, but it does affect my downtime. The time that I am traveling could be used for loads of prayer and fasting and Bible study. Instead, I find it difficult to engage for very long. The enemy is defeating me - or at least he has been. The days I am home have been toys in his hand, as well. Don't let anyone tell you that God doesn't have a sense of humor. God moved us two years ago from a frying pan where ministry was flourishing and the Kingdom was expanding into the fire where ministry was dying and darkness was expanding. Small towns can have enough evil to fill the largest cities, and much of that evil resides in the leadership of local churches. Well, as the story goes, a small power cartel took issue with the biblical truth that all followers of Christ have a voice in the church. They made statements that revealed a deep false theology, taking the position that the Bible was not really relevant if it contradicted the kingdom they were building. Leaders would come to make decisions but would literally run from the opportunity to study the Bible. The Lord graciously removed our family from what has become one hot mess. Here is where His humor comes in. He removed us from the evil in that body and the discipline He is enacting on the local body, but He left us in the town to live. Our kids are in school. My wife works in the school. My family is very well liked and respected within the school system. This little group in the church though? They are probably praying harder than we are that our house sells soon. So when I am away, the enemy has been having a hold over my daily living. Then, when I am home, the enemy has a hold over our daily living because every street I drive down, every game I attend, every gas pump I pull up to reminds me of a few people who claim to be followers of Christ and the enemy uses them to steal my joy. It's not their fault he uses them. They are just pawns in his hand. It's actually my fault that he uses them because I'm the one that is keeping the doggone screen door propped open. Well, no more. Thanks Chip. I'll use today's blessing to remind me that yesterday's pain doesn't last forever and tomorrow is better because of the faith God has built in me. The truth is that we have many blessings in our town. I just listed 33 names of blessings in our community in West Tennessee. I could go to dear friends from Wauchula, Florida, to Ocala, Florida, Commerce, Georgia, to Franklinton, Louisiana, to Panama City, Florida, to Georgia, to South Carolina, to Canada, to Asia and beyond. Actually, the enemy is far outnumbered because the army of God is strong in our lives. But even if they were not, we have JESUS, and HE IS ALL WE NEED. I don't know if the enemy can read, so I'm just going to say it outloud. Say it with me so he can hear real good. THE ENEMY IS FAR OUTNUMBERED BECAUSE THE ARMY OF GOD IS STRONG IN OUR LIVES. BUT EVEN IF THEY WERE NOT, WE HAVE JESUS, AND HE IS ALL WE NEED.

So today is a reclamation day. Today, by the grace, mercy, and power of the Spirit of God who lives in me, I am reclaiming the territory that I have lost for the sake of the Kingdom of God. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice. I've been thrown into the pond. Let's wiggle.

  

Twenty One Years

In our society, twenty one years is usually a number celebrated when a person changes legal status. This number is celebrated more than the driving age or the age to vote. For most American citizens, turning 21 is a right of passage because now these continuing adolescents can legally do what many have been doing for years. This rite of passage often leads to the what many are now calling the new adolescence that carries well on into the early thirties.

Today, the number 21 means something quite different. The number carries no weight because of its place on a jersey, a speed limit sign, or the fact that its the next number up at the restaurant, and you are holding the ticket. Instead, the number 21 is important because it is the banner on my marriage to the most amazing woman I've ever known.

August 7, 1993. First Baptist Church of Starkville, Mississippi. A worship gathering followed by a reception and a nighttime journey to Orlando, Florida, where we would begin the next phase of our lives at what many call the most magical place on earth - Disney World. I would have to disagree with them about the label, because over the last 21 years, the merciful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has allowed me the privilege of living in the most magical place on earth - wherever my family happens to be.

Karen and I started our married life in a small town in Louisiana before moving to Panama City, Florida. From there, we moved briefly to Mississippi and then to North Carolina before moving back to Florida. We essentially started our family in Ocala, Florida. We lived in this beautiful city for 10 years before moving to another small town in Florida. After four years, we moved to Tennessee, where we currently serve with our family in a local church. Each one of these locations has deep significance in our marriage. We have strong roots in some of them and memories that will not quickly fade in all of them. Some of our closest friends are still in these places from our past. We can look back at our lives and see how we have changed over the years based on these experiences and our response to each one of them.

Being married to me may be one of the hardest burdens anyone should have to bear. Connected with my calling to ministry, Karen has been through many church adventures. She has faced each one of them with more grace and mercy that I could imagine or expect. I suppose that the exciting times of ministry help to balance out the defeating times. I let situations bother me too much. Karen just looks for the rainbow. I am sorry for the times that God's calling on our lives has put her in the line of fire of mean church people who couldn't disagree without attacking my family. I am encouraged by the people that God's calling on our lives has brought into our lives that can overshadow the enemy. These people are a protective covering from the Lord and have become extended family to us over time. To all those who are a protective covering for my bride - thank you.

The Lord has blessed us with three special children. Our oldest is 16 years old now; our middle child is 12; and our youngest is 6. With all of the mistakes I have made in 21 years as a husband, these three children are a reminder to me that God takes our flaws and makes beautiful creations. Karen schooled our children at home for most of the last 16 years. She is a stellar teacher and has helped our children to see that learning does have to have the intensity that I tend to project onto them. Karen taught them to be confident in who they were while I was teaching them to be confident in their math facts. They learned the multiplication facts, for sure, but calculators and computers make those facts less important than the ability to take life as it comes and figure out how to adjust to whatever circumstances come your way. I remember recently our oldest son talking about some of our life situations. He reminded me that whatever happened he was going to be okay. He was just going to trust God for the results. I remember Karen saying that to me on more than one occasion as our lives took several unexpected turns. He was learning from you, Karen, more than you knew.

Many times people write about their spouse on their anniversary and talk about all of the reasons she is special, usually including things that she has done for them over the years. Today, I am reminded that it is not what she has done but who she is that makes 21 such a special year. It's a year of new beginning for us spiritually, as God has given us some clarity on some questions we have had for a while. Twenty one may be a freedom year for us. Not a freedom to do things we could not do before, but a freedom to take on life with a new found sense of God's purpose.

My prayer for Karen is that she will continue to grow in the joy of the Lord and that the Lord will protect her heart from harm. When He allows difficulty, I pray that He smooths the pathway of grace so that she can take hold of the greatness of His Majesty in her life. I do pray that we grow in our love for one another, but even more than that I pray that we grow in our love for our heavenly Father who makes Perfect love a reality in the lives of couples who are committed to Him. I pray that I will surrender myself and relax for the next 21 years. Life doesn't have to be so hard or so serious. I pray that the Lord will teach me how to love Karen as Christ loved the church - He died for His bride, you know.

Thank you, Karen, for putting up with my idiosyncrasies and my crazy thought patterns for all of these years. Thank you for loving me in spite of me. Thank you for continuing to look past my mistakes. Thank you for helping me become the man God is calling me to be. I love you. Happy Anniversary, BT.

The First After the Last

Today will be the first Father's Day where I won't be making a phone call to my dad. After a tough battle with cancer, he passed away last year. I don't think I took the days seriously enough, and now I have moments I wish could be lived again, mostly so they could be lived differently.

My dad worked a lot as I was growing up. Many people have memories of him and never fail to tell me how much he meant to them. I am blessed to have had a dad who made a difference in so many people's lives. He was hard worker who was always willing to help a friend. He loved Mississippi State baseball with a passion, and those guys were blessed to have known him, as well.

For years my dad owned a restaurant, and in the town where I grew up, that is what he is most remembered for. Don's Drive In. The place where you could get a good meal, a healthy debate, and where teenagers could hang out in the parking lot thinking they were hiding from their parents. The drive in burned when I was in junior high, but they rebuilt it. I remember my dad saying that if he didn't owe so much on it he would have let it burn to the ground. The source of satisfaction for many was a stress for him. I didn't know how to help relieve the stress, so I just didn't do anything.

After graduating from high school, I went to Mississippi State and then on to seminary. Ministry took me to Florida, where I spent the next twenty years. Occasional visits and phone calls limited our interaction, but during those years I saw my father grow in some ways I had not seen before. He was a good man while I was growing up, but at some point during the two decades I was absent, he came to know the Lord. The change was subtle, but the change was real. His conversion was not conventional, but it was concrete. He became more sensitive than I had ever seen him, always getting emotional when we would leave after a visit. He talked about the Lord and even started attending church. Apparently he even led the music sometimes when the "regular" guy was gone. I am grateful that he came to know the Lord before he passed away but with plenty of time to demonstrate fruit in keeping with repentance.

What lesson did I learn from him? I am sure that there are plenty I should list, but the one that stands out is the reality that it is never too late to demonstrate fruit in keeping with repentance. I have been a follower of Christ for many years, but I never feel like I'm all that I should be. A friend gave me a note when I was preaching for a summer youth camp back in the early nineties. The note simply said, "No Regret." Honestly, I have plenty of regrets. Too many to mention in this space for sure. One of them, though, is that I didn't get the chance to spend more dad in ways that others saw him. Still, I am blessed to have the hope that "too late" does not have to come.

What am I doing as a dad to make sure that my kids see fruit in keeping with repentance? Am I growing into a new man every day? Do they see the change in me? Do they know in their childhood that I love them more than life? What would they say is important to me? Am I training them to live with no regret?

Today is the first father's day after the last father's day I had with my dad. Today is the first father's day after the last father's day my kids had with me. The difference in the two is that I have more time. I can take the past and leave it at the feet of my Heavenly Father and choose from this day forward to live each day to the fullest without any tinge of regret. I can, and I pray that I will.