Tetelestai

Sometimes I come in knowing what I’m going to say….what I’m going to write.  But today….I wasn’t really sure.  I didn’t know if I wanted to continue my theme of my last post or just share the meaning of Easter.  But after this morning…I still don’t know what to say.

Last night’s Saturday service was amazing.  God was in that place for sure.  Our family had a wonderful time and the Word of God was spoken through Pastor Jeff.

Today was a day of service.  The whole family had a part to play.  Even the boys sported their volunteer shirts and nametags.  Even when my wife ended up in the second service helping with offering, my youngest, only 7, stepped up and ran the food and beverage area of Volunteer Central while she was away.  She came back and she said he was ready with a list and was already restocking things.

Our three services today were packed.  We ended the weekend with over 3000 in attendance.  And the most amazing thing was the over 440 known who are now brothers and sisters in Christ.

As I stood outside of the auditorium after the last service a young Spanish women approached.  She was holding a young child in one hand and had another walking next to her.  She barely spoke English, but she walked up and said, “I’m a Christian, where do I go?”  I walked her down to our information center where they took her and started her on the next steps of her new Christian life.

She was just one of the many stories today….the many lives changed because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us by dying on a cross….a criminals death.  He paid the ultimate sacrifice so we may have eternal life.

My wife and I spoke about me sharing this part of the weekend, but I just don’t think I can talk about the amazing Grace of Jesus….the great and powerful things He does without sharing.

After we got home from dinner last night we were talking about the sermon.  My oldest son, who listens sometimes, not so much others said it was great.  Even better than Steven Furtick.  And then he says, “You know I raised my hand after I prayed with Pastor Jeff.”  My wife and I just looked at each other….both not really knowing what to say.  The kid has had lots of questions lately, and I’ve tried to explain and give answers the best I could.  But ultimately, it came down to God speaking to him on Saturday night through Pastor Jeff.

So now we have another baptism to prepare for……one in which mother and son will most likely be getting baptized together.

As I think back to all those years ago…..as the sun came up over the borrowed tomb….and the rock that held our Savior was blasted away…..and He stepped out of an empty grave…how it changed the world forever.  No more would the devil ever win.  No more would we be burdened by our sins…..by our insecurities, our fears, our hopelessness.  Because that grave really wasn’t empty.  All of that stayed inside.

Easter may be over for another year…..but our mission is not.  We had over 3000 at our services this year.  My mom said her church was standing room only.  Why can’t we have over 6000 next year?  Why not 10,000?  We have over 440 new brothers and sisters…..why not over 1000 next year in one weekend?  It’s all up to us.  We have been given a mission to go and share.  To bring those lost back to Jesus.

I remember sitting in Easter services last year….it was not very long before I had my “moment” where I, for the first time, really turned it all over to God.  I was not in a good place.  But Jesus was just beginning to work His miracles in my life.  And now a year later, I not only have a wife, but I have a sister in Christ.  I not only have a son, but I have a brother in Christ.  Who can say that?

It is only fitting that the day started off with my wife’s favorite song, “Glorious Day,” and finished with what is now an anthem for our family’s lives….” When Death Was Arrested.”  We have one more left in the family….my youngest…..but that little guy….he is already asking questions…questions that I am struggling to answer for him.  But those are the best kind.  Because in the end, those are the questions that only Jesus can answer.

So as this Easter comes to a close…..and my loss for words has turned into a bunch of random experiences from the weekend…..I pray for all of us.  I pray we continue to search and follow God’s plan for our lives.  I continue to pray for those out there who are still lost….but are looking to be found.  I pray that we can be the path that leads someone to Jesus….and I pray that next Easter…..it may be you, or someone close to you that experiences the true  Resurrection Power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Hebrew News Network

Today the so-called “Son of God” was executed on a cross in front of a multitude of spectators.  This finally brings to an end His 3 year tour of our countryside where He shared his parables with anyone who would listen.  There are those who said He even performed miracles, but these claims can not be verified.

As they took His body down, not many of His followers were even present.  His mother was there of course, mourning the loss her son.  Only a few of His “disciples” were even noticed hiding in the crowds.  We have heard that they scattered to the four corners of the earth as soon as He was arrested last night.  We tried to find some of them to ask them what they thought, but none of them can even be found.  I guess even His own followers had doubts.

Accounts of those closest to Him said that He would come back from the dead, but we know this was just a fable as well.

We did run into a man named Cleopas who was in town for Passover.  He is believed to have been a follower of Jesus as well, but all he would say is that he can’t believe it is over.  The last we saw of him he was returning to his inn to begin packing up for his journey back to Emmaus.

Not all were sad to hear of Jesus’ passing.  The council members of the Sanhedrin could be seen slapping each other on the backs and preparing to get back to life as normal.  One even told us, “I’m glad this whole farce has come to and end.  This Jesus figure has been a thorn in our side for far too long now.  We tried to tell everyone He was an imposter, but no one would believe us.  Now look, He is dead.”  He even sneered at the thought of rumors of Jesus’ prophesied resurrection.

What we can say is that a fear still remains with his staunchest critics.  As His body was prepared and placed in a borrowed tomb, a large stone was rolled in front of the entrance.  There were even members of the council and Roman Centurions stationed out front for good measure.  At least that way no one can remove His body and start rumors of this resurrection.

We have followed this man for some time now.  The more He spoke, the larger the crowds grew.  People would travel for miles around to come see Him whenever He was near.  Whatever His message was, His message of hope and love, it clearly struck a chord among the masses.  It is really a shame that it all had to be false.  At the end of the day, hopefully these fanatics will place their faith in the one true God.

We can say though that to the end this Jesus character never gave up on who He said He was.  At one point, before his death, He even told one of his fellow criminals, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise.”  At least His lunacy was consistent.  And right before His last breath He could even be heard whispering, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”

This was just another ordinary crucifixion, other than for a time the skies grew dark.  The earth quaked.  It has also been said that the veil in the temple was torn in two.  Probably just some of his people causing some mischief.

So as night closes in, all seems back to normal.  No more worries from this man wandering around telling His tales.  But even for a time, the impact this man had on those around our small area of the world seemed positive.  The message was one of hope, service, and love towards one’s neighbor.  Hopefully, even now that He is gone, maybe some of these principles can live on.

 

 

The Last Supper is slowly coming to an end.  Even after all this time following Jesus everywhere He went, they still didn’t get it.  The disciples begin an argument about who is the greatest among them.  How could they not understand?  How could they not see?  I guess it is easy to say that now….not living in that space…in that time.  Jesus had just instilled the last wisdom He had in them…..and they began to argue like children.

I can’t imagine what He was feeling.  He knew all too well what was about to take place.  He knew He was going to die.  He knew the suffering He was about to endure.  And He had to teach them one last lesson about humility.

The garden was calling.  His last night of prayer.  His last night to ask His Father to spare His life.  Did this really have to be done?  “Please tell me there has to be another way.  I don’t want to die.  I know if I don’t, all is lost….but please, please let there be some other way.”  We all know the story…..He was the way.

What was He thinking?  Did he go back to Abraham and Isaac?  “Father, at the last-minute you provided Abraham with a ram, after he showed his faithfulness.  I have done everything You have asked?  Where is my ram?  I know I am the ram….but there has to be something else we can do.”

He prayed so hard he bled.  Even in your darkest times, in your deepest prayers have you bled?  Have you sweated out blood?

His disciples…those who he took to watch over Him couldn’t even stay awake.  Yes they were exhausted from their travels, from their years with Jesus.  But for one night, this most important of nights they couldn’t stay awake?  “Father, why can’t they see how important tonight is…..what I’m about to go through!!!”

One last plea….

“FATHER, IF YOU ARE WILLING, REMOVE THIS CUP FROM ME; YET NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE.”

And at that moment……God gave His response to His son.  He sent an angel to strengthen Him for His final journey.

Over the next few hours Jesus would endure the worst kinds of torture.  Starting with the emotional pain of watching Judas kiss His cheek….sealing His fate.  He would be flogged until the skin peeled from His back…revealing the spinal cord that lay beneath.  He would be mocked…His clothes lost in bets among His captors.  He would be given a crown of thorns….smashed into His skull.  The pain unbearable….The blood….the gore…the ripped and torn flesh….the jeers….”If you are the Son of God…save Yourself.”

He could have….He could have stopped it all in an instant.  His Father could have snapped His fingers and ended it all.  But it had to be done.  It was the only way.  It was the only way that relationship so dreamed of between us and God…so long ago in the Garden of Eden……..could and would be restored.

Jesus truly endured the physical pain…the physical suffering…..but God….what about God?  He sat watching from above….watching His Son…..knowing He could stop it…..but knowing He couldn’t all at the same time.  “I am with you my child.  You are not alone.  Please, please understand why this had to take place.”  With tears streaming down His face.

It happened….this very night….all those years ago.  It happened for us.  It happened because we are sinners.  It happened because no matter how many sheep we sacrifice…how many laws we follow…..WE ARE SINNERS.

We did it to ourselves.  God could have said, “I’m done with you.”  But He didn’t.  “You may have disobeyed this time……but I will fight to get you back….even if it costs me my Son.”

So as you go to sleep tonight….as you wake up tomorrow on “Good Friday” with no school or work and you plan to go shopping or just hang out…..think about what this day is for.  Think about how much love that God had for YOU that He allowed all of these things to take place……for His own Son to die on a cross.

God loves you.  Jesus Christ loves you.  If you don’t know that….I’m telling you right now it’s the truth.  It’s not too late to begin that relationship with Him.  You can start it this very moment.  All you have to do is pray this simple prayer….and believe it with all of your heart.

“Jesus.  I am a sinner.  I am not worthy of your Grace that you provide for me.  Please forgive me of my sins.  I believe you died on a cross, were buried in a tomb, and three days later broke the gates of hell and rose from the grave.  Please be with me all the days of my life and I will follow you forever.”

If you prayed that prayer and fully believe it in your heart I believe you now have eternal life……all because of God’s Grace.  If you prayed that prayer…may this Good Friday and the Easter to come on Sunday carry a whole new meaning in your life.

To Be Continued……..

Today I did something that I have never done before.  It’s not something I’m exactly proud of either.  It should have never taken this long.  If I am as strong in faith as I claim to be, if I follow Jesus like I say I do, then why did I wait until now to do what I did?  You see, today, for the first time in my life….I invited someone to church.

It started yesterday morning…..well, it really started before that.  I have a coworker who I have observed, overheard conversations, and know a little of his life.  Yesterday morning, on the way to work, God spoke to my heart and told me, “Just ask him.  Plant the seed.  I can do the rest.”  The problem was….well, I made it a problem….I didn’t have any invite cards…like the one posted in the picture above.  So I told myself, tomorrow I will ask…..but first I need a card.

Not 10 seconds after walking into work, another coworker looks at this guy and says, “What are you doing this weekend?  Are you going to church with Jody?”  And there it was….again….God nudging me.  The second coworker pulled me aside a few minutes later and said that it is all about spreading seeds.  I still used the lack of a card as an excuse….but I knew what I had to do.

Last night I made my way to church…..picked up some cards.  First thing this morning I began looking for the right time….a moment when I could speak to him.  These moments passed…moments I could have spoken .  Finally at break time I walked with him.  I said, “Remember what we were talking about yesterday….I know you aren’t a church goer.  Up until recently I haven’t gone either.”  I told him a short version of my breakdown story.  I handed him the card, told him this was his official invite, and wrote my blog on the back if he wanted to read my story.

Mission complete.  But why was it so hard?  If I like a restaurant I will tell you.  If I have a great nutritional supplement I like, I will share.  But when it comes to Jesus….The Most Important Person In My Life…….I am silent.

I can hide behind this screen and type for days.  I can share story after story of the great things God has done in my life and in the lives of my wife and children.  But when a real person walks up….woah woah woah.

This is Easter week.  I am only guessing, but at this point in Jesus’s life, He had less than 48 hours to live.  He knew exactly what was to take place.  The pain, the suffering, the loneliness as His disciples would flee.  Yet He still went to the cross for you and me.

Jesus’ last words on Earth before ascending to heaven are as simple as an instruction He could have given.  There is nothing complex about it…..but it is the MOST important thing for us, as Christ followers, to accomplish with our lives.  Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;  and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20.)”

So we are to go…..we are to share…..we are to teach….we are to lead those lost souls to Jesus….never ceasing…..not one coworker…..not two coworkers…..but everyone we see.  Everyone that walks the face of the earth.  And yes, that sounds daunting…but what did He say after giving us that simple instruction…..He said, “And lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.”

So we aren’t alone….we aren’t walking up to a stranger by ourself.  We aren’t sharing an invite to Easter with a coworker without Him by our side.  In fact He is walking right beside us, pointing….saying, “When you are done with this one….look, there is another over there.”

So I pray as Easter approaches, this year I won’t be scared to share with others.  Jesus went through too much, He has changed our lives too much to not share that with others.  And if we don’t share with all those out there…..what happens to them? Think about it…..think hard.  If that neighbor you have thought of talking to but never have, never finds Jesus….what happens to them?  I pray I can get out from behind this screen.  God, give me the courage to get out from my comfort zone, use my weakness for Your Glory.  Because in the end, we are fighting for God’s Kingdom. As Steven Furtick points out, “As Christians we are not fighting for victory…….WE ARE FIGHTING FROM VICTORY.”

Today has been 18 days since I put my GoFundMe page up to raise money for my mission trip.  Today has been 18 days since we started selling discount cards to raise money as well.  Today has been 18 days since I began talking to my friends and family about what God has in store for my life.  And this morning, during the first service of the day, when I went to talk to the Assistant Director of Missions to see if anyone else had signed up for the LA Dream Center Trip, she gave me the last $7 that I needed to reach my goal.

In 18 days, God has put it in the hearts of so many to donate to my goal.  God has done the work….I may have put myself out there, but through Him the money came in.  At just after 8:30 this morning, my goal of raising $1000 became a reality.

Fundraising for this trip was hard for me to do.  I could afford this on my own.  At first I felt guilty for asking others for money, but after some advice from my wife and others, I decided it was okay.  The general consensus was, “Yes, we could afford this” and “Yes, God will provide the funds anyway,” but allowing others to be a part of this was a good idea too.  Some people don’t want to go on mission trips.  And that is fine…..in fact until a month ago that was me.  But by allowing people to volunteer “financially” it allows them to be a contributor in their own way.  And that is awesome too.

I’ve been reading a book called Servolution by Dino Rizzo.  It’s amazing what God can do through those who open their hearts to serve.  People who get dirty and get to work for those who are struggling….for those that are in need.  Our Director of Missions just returned from a trip to the Highlands Church in Birmingham, Alabama where Dino Rizzo serves on their staff.  Her husband was telling me this morning that they have 12,000 volunteers on their roster.  That is 6 times more people than even attend our church on a Sunday morning.  Can you imagine what kind of work they are doing…..what kind of impact they are having….how many lives they are bringing to Christ?  The numbers are astonishing.

Here is an amazing excerpt from Dino Rizzo’s book talking about a servolution…..a revolution of serving.

“A servolution must be an expression of our lives.  It’s not something to be compartmentalized as only a church experience, a mission trip, or a charity event we hold for our community.  We have to live it in everything we do, everywhere we go.  The teller at the bank drive-thru is someone God cares about deeply.  So are the guy who just cut me off in traffic and the waiter who got my order wrong.  We have to realize we are all just people and our value is measured by how much God loves us.  We have to place that same value on others.  We need to see people through the eyes of God’s infinite love.  The waiter who gave me a baked potato instead of mashed is no less valuable to God that I am, because God’s love is the same for him as it is for me.”

I drive through certain parts of town on the way home from work and I just want to stop and give them all I have.  I see people when I’m at the store, and I know they are struggling and I want to help, but I can’t help everyone.  I hope with this mission trip to Los Angeles, God allows me to do all that I can and all that He has planned for me.  “It is true that we cannot do everything.  But we absolutely cannot let that thought keep us from doing what we can.  All of us have gifts and talents to offer, and all of us are able to do something to meet the needs of the hurting around us if we are willing to let God use us.  No more making excuses! (Dino Rizzo)”

God has put me in this moment, in this time, in this place to be a tool to use for the expansion of His kingdom.  God has provided a place to go.  God has provided the means to get there.  God will provide me the words to say and the actions required to complete His mission.  I have no doubt of that.

Sometimes I look up at the sky and ask, “Why me?  What can I do?  Why have I been chosen?”  But then there are other times….which happen more and more these days I ask myself, “Why not me?  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13.)”

So now its time to get in the trenches, time to go and do what the money was raised for.  I know its a few months away, but I have a feeling God is going to be preparing me over the next several months…..moving me out of my comfort zone….training me up for what lies ahead.  And I accept the challenge.  Because I know He is there, and this is where He wants me to be.

So those of you who donated…..those of you who have sent your prayers….I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Another cool thing is that just because I have met “my” goal, that doesn’t mean I have met God’s goal.  Any money that comes in over the cost of my trip will be going back to the Missions Department at Lowcountry Community Church to go where it is needed most.

 

 

I may not understand everything that is going on around me on a daily basis, but after today, I guarantee it won’t take God going to the lengths He did, to save my life.  I truly believe that there was a Divine intervention that took place today….and without it, I may not be here writing about it.

I work in the aircraft industry, as I have stated before.  A few weeks ago a plane came in from Saudi Arabia.  On our pre-inspection, the cabin of this plane was doing things that no one had seen before.  The switch panels would flicker on and off, the monitors would come on, cycle through all of their settings and turn off.  Everything was randomly broken.  However, the only thing that would play on the monitors…..without any glitches….was a DVD that was all Muslim prayers.  I jokingly said that the plane had a demon….but I almost believed it was true.

Fast forward a few weeks and today was time for a test flight.  Now, this plane isn’t in great condition, so yesterday my bosses were joking with me about having my life insurance up to date.  When the customer asked who would be flying with him they pointed at me.  He asked if my life insurance was up to date.  At that exact time my phone rang and it was a robocall about insurance.  I started feeling very uneasy…like I wasn’t supposed to fly.

Last night, on the way home from soccer, I listened to a past sermon from my pastor.  At the end he told a story about a women who had three weeks left to live.  They were making her funeral arrangements and she had one request…..that she be buried with a silver fork in her right hand.  Her pastor asked why and she said, “I’ve been around church my whole life.  At the potlucks when people come around and clean up and take your plates they always tell you to keep your fork because there is something greater coming.”  So she was buried with her fork.

Now I was feeling even more uneasy…..life insurance….sermon about a funeral and death.

I show up to work today.  It’s time for the flight.  The pilots show up and begin to start the plane….some small warnings come up…some indications missing….but they say it’s still safe to fly.  If everyone is comfortable, we will proceed.  With everything that had happened in the last two days, comfortable was not the word I was using to describe my situation.

I started feeling very uneasy…I shouldn’t be doing this….I need off this plane.  I walked towards the back of the cabin and as I made it to the credenza, a fancy coffee table, I looked down and saw the picture above…..a silver fork….presented nicely, before me in a leather box.  My heart stopped….all I heard was my mother saying from our conversation from the night before, “Just don’t take a fork on the flight with you.”  It took everything I had to stay on that plane….even though God was saying, “Get off.  I have given you multiple signs….I can’t tell you in a clearer way.”

I walked to the front of the plane and asked the pilots if everything was okay.  They said everything was fine and that I could close the door.  I closed it….not exactly sure what was about to happen.  Before I could even make it back to my seat the pilots called me up front.  There were multiple warning messages showing up on the screen.  Lights were flashing on and off….not normal.  The pilots said when they turned on the left engine they felt a rumble that they had never felt before….their seats were shaking.  They said the flight was off.

I got off that plane and knew God had just intervened….He had tried to warn me…tried to give me the signs.  And  what’s crazy is that I saw every one of them and kept proceeding down that dangerous road.  It wasn’t until a little later that I thought back to the book This Present Darkness I had recently reread by Frank Peretti, about spiritual warfare.  In my mind I could see an Angel of the Lord standing on that left engine, with his sword right down through the center.  I could see another standing on the dashboard of that 65 million dollar plane with his sword stuck in all of the flight deck instruments.

I told my story to many throughout the day, receiving many responses….but the general consensus from every one of them was that there is no way, once they saw that fork, that they would have stayed on the plane any longer.

I’m not sure why I stayed….I wasn’t testing God, but He sure showed His mercy…and that today wasn’t my day to go.  I was told later that I might possess the spiritual gift of discernment…..the ability to see through smokescreens and obstacles in the pursuit of truth; possessing an uncanny sense of knowing…or gut feeling about things that are taking place, knowing and being able to see good and evil.

I’m not sure if this is the case….but I know I will continue to pray for wisdom, guidance, and the ability to see what God is saying.  And there is no way that I will ever make God work as hard as He did today….to get His point across again.

……..And by the way…..I will never fly on that plane!!!!

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Philippians 1:9-11

Isn’t it crazy how things just come together….how they all turn out?  I know who is in charge…but it still amazes me when I see what something has become….when in the beginning it seemed so bleak, and like there was no hope in sight.

I’ve been listening to the Lowcountry Community Church podcast since we started attending.  I’ve had 2 years of sermons to catch up on.  On the way to work, on the way home….whenever I’m in the car, I listen.  Today I made it to May 7th.  As I started listening it was just a normal day…no big deal.

It came time for the hosting.  That’s when someone gets up, talks about what’s going on in the church…makes announcements, and prays before the offering.  On this day, my church “boss” was hosting.  I had never heard her host before.  Now sometimes I skip through to the sermon, sometimes I listen to everything…..but in a year and a half of services, I had never heard her host.

She was talking about a Mission Team returning from the Atlanta Dream Center that day.  She was talking about fundraising for a Mission Trip to Italy.  She was talking about the first beach baptism of the summer coming up in a few weeks.  It hit me hard.  I immediately opened my blog……searched all the way back to the beginning.

The sermon started….the opening passage from Psalm 34:18 and read as follows, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  It went on to talk about David, about rejection, about acceptance.  Amazing stuff.

Now like I said, I checked back in my blog….but I was pretty sure I knew exactly when this occurred in my life.  This particular Sunday was the day prior to my breakdown.  If you have read all the way back to my first blog you know exactly what I’m talking about.  The day before my life changed…..God’s plan was already in effect.

6 months before we ever heard of Lowcountry Community Church God said….”I have found a home for you.  I have found a home for your family.  This is where you will do my work.”  Now, He didn’t literally say that to me, clearly, because I didn’t even know that was what had happened until lunch today.  But I can see Him looking down saying, “So it begins.  This place is where you are supposed to be.  Now it’s time to start the journey that will get you here at your appointed time.”

I may have completely gone off the deep end this time.  But I don’t believe in coincidences.  The odds of these few things falling into place like this, especially since we had no idea about any of it, it too unimaginable.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”  And then in Proverbs it says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established (16:3.)”

God was waiting for me to act….for me to step out in faith……for me to give it all up to Him.  And that’s exactly what happened around lunchtime on May 8th.  That fear and dread I felt that morning….that was God….getting closer and closer….saying, “It’s time.  You have tried to do this alone for far too long.  Just let go.”

Now here we are…6 months later…I’m currently fundraising to go on a Mission Trip to a Dream Center in Los Angeles.  My wife is getting baptized at the first beach baptism of the summer…..exactly the things that were talked about that day.

……..And that’s where my thoughts had stopped…..that’s where today’s blog was supposed to end……..

……until this just hit me in the face.  My church “boss” won’t be here Sunday.  She texted me and two others this afternoon saying that we were her A-team….and she really needed us for this weekend.

I’m sitting in my car….using my son’s IPad to write this…while staring out across the soccer field where my boys are at practice and I just can’t wrap my head around all of this.  The day before I broke down…the day before I put my life in God’s hands….this plan for this Sunday was already in place.  So now it becomes not just about “my” life….but maybe God knew that she would need someone to help her out one day.  Far be it from me to presume God’s plans…..like I said, I’m just trying to make sense out of something that I shouldn’t even be worrying about.

But……at the end of the day, I’m here, my family is here…in this place…at this time….for the reason we are supposed to be here.  I’m just so grateful for a God who whispers in our ear when we need the encouragement to make the next big move in his plan.  So don’t get discouraged.  There is a plan out there for you too.  And at this very moment….you are right where you are supposed to be.

It’s Monday night.  Soccer was cancelled again because of rain.  We had dinner, I read with my youngest.  I’m sitting in the living room of our small apartment finishing up my journal entry for school.  My youngest has gone to bed.  And what do I hear coming from the back room?

My oldest and my wife are singing their favorite songs from church.  From Elevation to Hillsong and many others.  I hear them talking quietly.  Going over the words.  My wife is getting sick….like so many, and right before I started my homework I went in to see what she was doing.  She was reading Esther from her Bible.  Esther?  I’m pretty sure I’ve never read Esther.  I told her she was going to have to teach me when she is finished.

The Spirit of the Lord is in this place.  It’s been here for a while now…..well always, if you really think about it, but we now can feel it….sense it.  It’s so peaceful.  The spats between the boys and between us and the boys still happen….but that’s what parenting is I guess.  I’m not sure it will ever go away, but it’s in these moments….as I listen to my family praising Jesus that all that other stuff goes away.

“There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
No lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn’t earn it
I don’t deserve it
Still You give yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God”

The lyrics to the song they are now singing.

As David said, “I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being (Psalm 104:33.)”

Praise and song are so powerful.  I see it every Sunday at church.  I even sing these days…not something I ever did in the past.  In fact, it’s harder for me not to sing and praise God than it is for me to sit there quietly.

Ask Paul how powerful singing and praise are…..”But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened (Acts 16:25-26.)”  Their praise brought such a presence of God that the prison almost fell down.  Have you ever sang so hard you thought that might happen?

I thank God He has put us in the church we are at.  My oldest thinks our worship pastor is soooo cool.  He even wanted the same hairstyle.  You can see my oldest light up whenever he is around.  Last Sunday we were picking them up from his class and the classroom is right across the hall from the green room…..the place where the pastor and the worship team hang out before services.  My oldest looked in the room and was like, “Oh, this is cool.”  We turned around to walk away and the worship pastor walked out….my oldest almost fell over.

It’s nice to have role models….but it’s even better to have role models at a church.  And it’s not half bad having a role model that spends his days worshiping and praising the Lord through song.  Isn’t that what David did his whole life?

It has quieted down around here.  It’s time for my oldest to go to bed, and I’m pretty sure my wife won’t be too far behind.  But for just a little while tonight we had a praise service in our house.  And a praise service in our house is something that would have never taken place in the past.

I think back not too long ago, when in the car I would turn on “my music” and I could almost see the eyes roll…..and now they are all singing it….without me, while I’m doing homework.

I thank God everyday for what He is doing in our lives…..for the places He is taking us and the things he is putting in our hearts.  Tomorrow is just Tuesday…we were just at church yesterday….but tomorrow we are going back after I get the boys to work on a project that needs fixing, and then to a missions meeting to see if there is somewhere else God can use us.  None of this is said in bragging, trust me, but if one person can see the fire that has been lit in our souls, and that leads them to find a church where they can do these things, then maybe I have accomplished God’s plan.

But as tonight comes to a close…..for just a few minutes I had to stop my homework and listen to the joyful noise coming from the back room.

Being positive is always a good thing.  Believing you can do anything you think you can and accomplishing all you want to accomplish is great too.  But at what point do we try to take ownership over things we should be relying on God for?

The last few days I’ve been noticing many motivational posts saying,  “We can do this and do that….that we can accomplish all;” but nowhere is there any mention of God.  So I’ve really been contemplating this lately.

For those of you that have been following me, you all know that I have begun pursuing a calling God has placed on my life.  I also know that I won’t be able to accomplish this on my own….and that this was God’s idea in the first place.  I have faith that I’m on the right path.

In school this week there was a discussion question about what our personal, professional, and educational goals were.  I responded that I’ve always had a hard time with goals….I’m pretty content, and it’s hard to ask for more when there are people out there with so little.

Today I listened to an old sermon from my pastor called Relentless.  Basically it was the middle sermon of a 2 year campaign for church expansion…..not just a building, but reaching out into the community, country, and world…..to help all those we can.  He said if we don’t dream big, ask for big things from God, and look to grow……we become stagnant.  It got me thinking…..am I asking for enough?  Should I be asking for more?

I went out for a walk and had a chat with God.  I asked for Him to place me in the biggest position possible that He has planned for me; whether it’s in my current church, in plans for planting a church, or even working at Habitat for Humanity here in town.  Whatever His greatest position for my life He has, I am ready.  I thanked Him for how I have been blessed, but I don’t want to become stagnant, that I want to continue to do His work.

A few minutes later I was on Amazon looking for a new book.  I ran across a book called Dare to Dream:  Creating a God-Sized Mission Statement For Your Life.  I read through the prologue, turned the page, and the first quote of the book was as follows:

“Then Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and went toward Haran.  He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place.  He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants.”

Genesis 28:10-13

How does this always happen?  This was the exact scripture Steven Furtick spoke on just 2 weeks ago…..the same sermon I shared with my wife when she was having issues at work.  The same sermon that Steven Furtick described Jacob as sleeping in a place he wasn’t supposed to be sleeping……sleeping on a dream he shouldn’t have been sleeping on…..and he woke up in the place he was supposed to be…..feeling amazing;  the same sermon I referenced just a few blogs ago when I realized I have woken up in the middle of God’s plan.

So now as I ponder all of the motivation, all of the positivity….all of my goals….I believe self-motivation is wrong, if it’s not grounded in faith.  I don’t believe you can do anything you set your mind to, unless God has already planned that for you.

As God told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  Only be strong and courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go (Joshua 1:6-7.)”

I believe God is saying, “Joshua, you got this.  You know your God-sized dream…the one that started with Abraham, I’m here to complete it in you.  Keep strong, keep faithful, and follow Me, and this will all be yours.”  We may never see the results of our “God-Sized Dream.”  Rest assured though, God will see it through.

“On October 1, 1971, five years after the great Walt Disney passed away; Disney World had its grand opening. During the dedication ceremony, someone turned to Mrs. Walt Disney and said, “Isn’t it a shame that Walt didn’t live to see this?” Mrs. Disney replied, “He did see it, that’s why it’s here (Travis Smith.)”

So yes, be positive.  Be motivational.  Have grand goals.  But stay humble.  Stay in God’s word.  Stay in God’s plan.  Don’t veer off on your own.  It’s scary enough out there without being in God’s presence.  Ask for greater and grander things…..but ask, not for your own glory and fame, but the glory of God’s work be done.