Remembering The Past

This week I was reminded how quickly we can begin to forget things that happen in our past. There were a couple of instances when Tami and I had discussions and even serious debate over our conflicting memories.

Last Sunday, I shared a story from my childhood that I hadn’t thought about in years. It involved my older brother Steve and myself, and I don’t even know if he’d remember it because it wasn’t some life-changing event, but out of it came a memory that tied in perfectly with my message. On the way home that day Tami asked me why she had never heard that story before even though we’ve been together for over 35 years. I explained that the story had never crossed my mind until writing that sermon and being reminded, I believe by the Holy Spirit, of an event that could minister to somebody Sunday morning. If you want to know the story you’ll have to go to our church website and listen to the podcast.

Then, on Sunday evening, we were sitting in our home having a discussion about our dating years when another story came up. We had totally different stories about the same event and even called Tami’s mom to verify who was correct. Well, sorry to say, but my wonderful mother-in-law has a memory as good as her daughters: not good at all. I was telling them the story with specific facts and descriptions of the event and they still refused to believe me. We even asked some of our friends and I explained the whole event to them, and they assumed I was telling the truth because my story was so detailed. So, babe, I was right!

All of that to say this: our minds are amazing things. While we are going through events in life we can experience complete joy or peace, sorrow, pain, or whatever other feeling you can imagine, but as time goes on that event will begin to fade from memory. That is why we need to face each day as a new day and know that God has a plan for us each day we are here. Whatever you are going through today will change and even fade away at some point, but your faith in God should be that one constant that never changes. God will always love you, be there for you, and guide you through your life. As the years go by there will probably be more things that you forget about God’s faithfulness, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is you never forget that He is there for you!

No Short Cuts To Spiritual Growth

Today I was reminded how important the past is to each of us. We live in a day and time when everything is done in a new and better way, and I won’t lie—I like it that way. To be able to heat up food in a matter of moments compared to several minutes, to be able to set up a Christmas tree in four sections with lights and decorations already attached compared to the old-fashioned way of picking out a tree, cutting it to fit a stand, and then decorating it. Or even making biscuits…dinner tonight reminded me that the old-fashioned way took several minutes, but tonight I just have to pop open a container and eight biscuits are ready to go into the oven.

As much as I enjoy the easy, convenient way of life that I have today, I have to remind myself that today’s method of making life easier can never apply to my spiritual life. Even though salvation is instantaneous, my spiritual development can only happen with a slow, steady understanding of what I must do to create the optimal situation for growth. What things do you need to integrate into your life to create the perfect scenario to grow spiritually? Don’t let yourself be deceived into thinking that you can’t grow because every one of us can!

Comfort Food

The last few days have brought cold weather to Texas, and those who know me know that I don’t mix well with the cold. This evening, when driving home from the office, I was talking with Tami and we decided that we needed comfort food. She has been sick at home for a few days and we just wanted something warm and good.

We all have those foods that we turn to when we need comfort. That food may change based on the event that is leading to the desire. Like today—because I was cold I wanted something warm that would make me feel warm and comfy while I relaxed. When I am under a lot of stress, my comfort food is chocolate. It doesn’t matter the form; I just want that chocolate flavor. I have several comfort foods based on what is happening around me.

Just as I have comfort food to lift my spirits and help me relax, I have scriptures that are my comfort scriptures. These are the scriptures that I turn to when I find myself facing various aspects of life: scriptures promising that God will turn my mourning into gladness, that God will heal my heart when it’s broken, that God will comfort me just as a mom knows how to comfort her child. Other verses promise that God will take care of me, be a stronghold when I’m facing tough times, and guide me when I don’t know which way to go. Your Bible is full of scriptures that can be used on those days when you just need a special word of encouragement, support, and love.By the way, our comfort dinner was chicken and dumplings. This has become a favorite here in our house and especially when it’s cold outside. 

Life Without Smell

Tonight has generated a few stories that I’d like to share with you but to do that I’ll have to go back to the beginning. My blogs are about events that come across my path on a daily basis and I’ve had so many share how they are an encouragement to them. They are events that have actually happened in my life and relate to my life on a daily basis. I try to use these events to help you become stronger in your faith and your commitment to Christ.

While growing up I had the perfect childhood. Great parents, an amazing church that taught me about the love of Christ, I had a few years where I had perfect attendance at school and my grades were really good. My bumps along the way were an appendix that burst when I was young, a tooth knocked out while playing baseball and an infection that….well, let’s not go there.

It wasn’t until I was 18 that things began to change. My eyesight changed and I had to get glasses. Then in my late 20’s my physical health began changing. A guy who had never ever experienced an allergy had all of the sudden began developing allergies to everything that there was in life. For the next several years I was miserable because my eyes were constantly burning and my sinuses were always running or plugged up. I could sneeze for hours at a time and no relief was ever found. The older I got the worse my allergies got. Then it happened….the most divesting thing I’d experienced in all my days.

Tami and I lived in the country while pastoring a wonderful church in Wooster, Ohio. While we lived there a great friendship grew with a neighbor who lived just down the street. Not only did his family become faithful attendees of our church but also our friendship led to many great rounds of golf. Dennis was a good loser because I was a much better golfer but that is another story for later…I love you Dennis! LOL But the course we golfed at every week was an amazing course, Country Club quality but at cheap man pricing, which was located out in the middle of farm country. Every spring when they were getting the fields ready for planting they would fertilize them with liquid manure which was horrible to smell. Every year we would tolerate the smell just to golf this great golf course.

Then it happened, one year while we were in the middle of our round of golf Dennis began complaining about the smell. I looked at him amazed because it didn’t smell the stince. And as we began talking I quickly realized that I could no longer smell. Something that I had just accepted as a part of my normal everyday life was gone, I could no longer smell. And it wasn’t long before I discovered that I could no longer taste the various flavors of life.

That event occur over 15 years ago and I’ve come to accept it as just a part of my life. I can’t taste or smell so there are so many thing in life that I’m missing out of. Spiritually I wonder how many of us have lost our sense of taste and smell and we can no longer see the wonderful things that God has for us as His children. We just accept the norm knowing that nothing is different yet God has so much for us to taste and smell. The Bible says, taste and see how good the Lord is! Yet, if I can’t smell, I can’t taste. Don’t lose your taste of the Lord!

Don't Let How Things Look or How You Feel Stop You

Last Friday my ill health began, and as I’m sitting here today it’s been a rough few days. I started by not feeling very good. I wasn’t sick, but I knew I wasn’t feeling right. On Saturday I tried to take it easy and just rest, hoping to find myself feeling back to normal by Sunday morning. Sunday came and by the end of our morning service I didn’t feel good at all. My body ached all over, I couldn’t breathe, and I had a horrible sore throat. Sunday was amazing because Tailgate 2014 we saw 14 people commit their lives to Christ, the food at the Tailgate party was fantastic, and many who visited us on Sunday said that they’d be back again. So if I gave a spiritual grade to Sunday it would have to be an A+ because heaven was rejoicing with us for those who committed their lives to Christ.

If I were to give it a grade on the physical side of things it would not be an A+. The weather was cold and dreary, we couldn’t have our Tailgate Party outside for the first time in 7 years, I felt miserable, and we didn’t reach the goals that I had for the church. The worship service was great and the preaching was not horrible…lol…but at the end of my sermon a breaker on a set of houselights went out and we had to finish with part of our auditorium being in the dark. I can always find something to complain about, and I wonder how many of us live our lives that way?

Since Sunday, I have been home sick, and even as I’m writing this I don’t feel good. I’ve been to the doctor and been given prescriptions to help me get better, but they haven’t helped yet. However, I don’t choose to live focused on the negative but instead reflect on the good things. We had an amazing service where lives were impacted by the gospel. I’ve heard that one family that came Sunday does not attend any church and were so blessed by their experience that they plan on attending again. Another family not only accepted Christ as their Savior but said that the service was exactly what they needed because they were going through difficult times. Yes, I had higher expectations, but God did exactly what had to be done in the lives of those who were at service that day.

Election Week - Did you vote?

This week is an exciting week if you are an American. It’s election week, the time we get to decide who will represent us in our state and national government. I really like the early voting option because I was able to vote over a week ago and don’t have to worry about crowds or the weather affecting me. I hope that we all can appreciate the privilege we have to vote because so many great men and women gave their lives to preserve that right for us as citizens of this great country.

The sad truth is that many citizens take this privilege for granted. I’m often amazed at the percentage of those able to vote who actually take the time to exercise their right. I was listening to the radio this morning and heard it projected that about 37% of eligible voters will actually vote. And most of the excuses offered for not voting are embarrassing: things like, “It won’t make a difference”, “I forgot”, or “I just didn’t feel like doing it.” And we wonder why our country has become so lackadaisical. The church is entering a time when we can no longer sit back and just accept whatever happens. We are being attacked, and the attacks are not going to stop. When churches are being subpoenaed to turn over the transcripts of sermons preached to see if they are preaching a message of hate it is scary. This is only the beginning unless we start voting in men and women who hold to the values that are important to us. One thing that I promise is that I will never compromise the truth of the Bible because an elected official tells me that I’m required to!

So that brings me to the important issue of where I’m going with this blog. I am a Christian, born again, saved, on-my-way-to-heaven follower of Jesus Christ. I’ve been bought with the price of Jesus giving his very life for mine. This act of forgiveness is not just for me but for every person who has ever been born, yet how many people never respond to that free gift? How many people don’t even know about that free gift because no one has ever shared it with them? Just as I, as an American, feel a right to cast a vote to determine the future of our country, I need to understand that as a Christian I need to make a choice on sharing what God has brought into my life.

I think we need to be diligent about protecting our country, but I feel we need to be even more diligent about sharing about our eternal destination. So many have been deceived and just don’t pay attention, and we need to change that perspective. Every day we come across people who have not heard the gospel message or have not really had someone ask them the important questions about their future. Let’s be the church that is not afraid to ask the questions that really matter: “Have you asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins?” “Do you believe in heaven and if so how do you get there?” “Will you come visit my church this week?” There are so many directions we can go with this eternity-changing subject.

Are You Up To The Challenge?

The Challenge! Last Sunday morning I issued a challenge to the church. This is something that I started thinking about several weeks ago, and now it’s out there. When I shared the challenge with the church, I can assure you that Tami had no idea I was going to do it. I didn’t even look her direction while talking because I didn’t want to get the look…you know, the look that says, “Are you crazy?” After service, I’m happy to report that she understands my heart and is willing to support my crazy idea.

Here is the Challenge: 500 people in service on Tailgate Sunday. Over the past several months I have felt that Abundant Life needs to get busy bringing people to church. I’m not looking for those who already have a church home and are happy with where God has them; I’m looking for those people who are involved in our lives that do not know the Lord as their Savior, or those who are searching for a place they can call home and get involved in ministry. If we have over 500 in service on that Sunday morning, I will have my head shaved after my Tailgate dinner. I even said that the person who brings the most visitors will get the first swipe with the clippers.

When we get down to the nuts and bolts of what I’m doing, I want you to know that it’s about winning the lost. I’m believing for 75 people to find Christ as their Savior that day. That those visiting will see our love for Christ and our desire to make a difference in lives in our area. Hair will always grow back, but this may be that one opportunity for someone to hear the gospel message and respond, Yes Lord! The Bible tells us that all of heaven rejoices when one soul accepts the Lord, so let’s do whatever we need to do to get the message out there.

Wild and Crazy....we all have those weeks

Have you ever had one of those weeks when you find yourself asking God, “Why”? Why is life so crazy, why do I have to deal with that person, why is my job so stressful, why is it so hard to get everything done? I think each of us has those weeks, and it doesn’t mean that something is wrong with us or we’re doing something wrong, but instead it just shows that we’re alive. That’s part of life even though it may be a part we’d like to eliminate.

So we have to decide how we are going to handle these weeks, which will unavoidably occur in life. People find a lot of ways to cope, and unfortunately many of those coping mechanisms bring about more harm than good. We can cope by pulling back from those who truly love and care about us. We can cope by escaping to another area of life that seems more pleasant and easier to handle. We can cope by finding a drug to bring relief, or by just ignoring the situation and running away. I’ve seen every one of these approaches used as a way to find relief, and the truth of the matter is that they will never solve the problem, and in most instances they make the situation worse.

What I’m learning is that when I’ve exhausted every human way of trying to resolve the “Why” is the time I finally stop and look to the Lord. I don’t understand why, in my stubbornness, I usually wait to approach God until everything else has failed, but that’s my tendency. The good news is that when I do finally come to God, He doesn’t reprimand me about coming to Him last but instead is there with open arms and unconditional love, ready to teach me a valuable lesson about life. Through my “Why God?” times, I learn how amazing His love is for me and how there is nothing in life that I can’t do because God is for me.

I wish this lesson could be taught without having to go through storms in this life, but that’s not how it works. Without the storms I’d quickly forget about how amazing God is because I’d be all caught up in doing what I want to do because the real John can be selfish. Another big plus is that when I’m going through those tough times I get the privilege of seeing how great the family and friends are that God has placed into my life. The Christian life is challenging, but it’s also the greatest life to live because we get to impact others with a message of hope and love. 

Oh No! I Think I'm In Trouble

Well, the good news is that the Cowboys beat the Seahawks last Sunday in Seattle. The bad news is that, according to the Bible, I should be stoned. Let me explain. Sunday morning, before my sermon, I was sharing about my Life Group that would meet later that day to watch the Cowboys game. I have a great Life Group because all we do is watch football, eat, and talk about anything and everything. So while talking about our group I proceeded to tell everyone that even though the Cowboys were going to lose we could still have a fun time together. I then went so far as to say that if the Cowboys won that the rapture of the church would happen five minutes later.

And then it happened—the Cowboys played their best game of the year and won an exciting game. I turned to those with me and said that the rapture better happen quick or I’m going to be a false prophet. Before I could get to my house that evening, the texts started coming in, asking what happened to the rapture. Lesson learned: don’t trust the Cowboys, they’ll let you down every time you put your trust in them! Lol!

I know that God doesn’t care that I made a silly prediction about a football game, and I’m really happy that the Cowboys were able to win for all their fans, but it did get me thinking about my words. I want to be a man that people can depend upon in every aspect of my life. If I say I’m going to do something, then I want to be known for doing it. Earlier today I had a business call, and because I was caught up in another meeting I knew that I was going to be late to the call. I didn’t want the other party to think that I didn’t value their time, so I sent them a text letting them know that I would be about 10 minutes late to the call. They didn’t mind and appreciated that I cared enough to let them know. That short text took about 20 seconds to type, but its greatest value was showing that individual that I can be counted on.

In my journey with Christ I want to be a man of my word. When I commit something to Him, I want to be faithful in fulfilling that commitment. Many times I may fail, but that doesn’t stop me from making new commitments. The life I have with Christ will not be complete until the day Christ returns for His church or I pass from this life to my eternal life. Until then, I will pursue Him with all that I am!

Annual Trip to Anapra, Mexico

I’ve just settled in for the evening as it is the night before we will head into Anapra, a neighborhood in the city of Juarez, to build two homes. This is our eighth trip into the Juarez area to construct homes, and I’m amazed at the impact we have had in these neighborhoods. So many men and women have teamed up with us through the years to help make this happen. I want to say “Thank You”! Whether it was gathering clothes, food, candy, and toys or giving funds, everything you’ve done has made this all possible.

This year is special because we’ve never built two homes during one trip, so we will be able to impact two families this year. I’m often asked why we continue going to an area that so many are afraid of because of the violence that is often highlighted in our news. My answer is that after you go you see how big the need is, and we can’t help but go back to reach out with the love of Christ.

Our trips have really changed through the years, and those who have traveled with us can testify to that change. In our early years it was all about the build. Get there, build it, and head home. Our third trip put us in a neighborhood where there were a lot of children, and the men had so much fun playing with the kids. I’ll never forget thinking that someone was going to die because Jim Sharp had started playing baseball with the kids using a shovel as the bat. I could see the shovel hitting a kid because they were too close to the batter. Thank the Lord, the best result of the play time was a lot of happy kids!

Every year we’ve expanded our outreaches, and we plan on impacting over 400 individuals with the gospel message this week. Not only have we expanded our outreaches during our builds, but we also have men and women who make trips throughout the year to go in and minister to families.

Dr. Visit Gone Wrong

Last week I went to the doctor for my annual physical and went through all the testing.   All the results came back good except for one test.  The doctor explained that the equipment used to do the test was not the best, and because I showed an abnormality in the test he wanted to do the same test on the more advanced equipment.  We set up the appointment and I went home not really thinking any more about it.

The day came for the test and I was taken back into the testing room with the technician.  He had me lay on the table and started the aorta scan on me.  Now, I’m normally the type that likes to have small talk while in a confined situation.  Tami will get on me for talking to people in elevators or to cab drivers and even smiling and saying hi to those kiosk salespeople in the malls.  I prefer talking over just having silence.  I remembered this technician from a previous test and we had a nice discussion, so I figured it would go the same way this time.  Instead, there was a lot of silence and it was totally different.  I was laying on the table and he was running the test and never said a word.  In that silence, my mind began wondering what he was seeing.  He was moving his wand all over my abdomen area and kept taking pictures.  After about 15 minutes of silence and pictures, I thought that he was surely going to reassure me by saying that everything looked fine but the doctor would contact me once they had the final results.  Instead he told me that I could get dressed and that the office would call me in a week with the results.

So I left the office that day wondering if there was something wrong.  What would have been so hard about giving a word of affirmation or encouragement?  I know that the technician has to be careful what he says, but at least throw me a bone.  The Bible teaches that we’re not supposed to worry, but there are days when that is much easier said than done.  I know I’m fine but it brought to my memory the many times I’ve had to pray with individuals because of the uncertainty that was happening in life.  There are things that will happen in my life that are beyond my control because my body is going to change and as I get older it will develop problems.  But in the spiritual realm I should be getting stronger.  No matter what I have to go through, I am encouraged to know that God has spiritually provided a way for me to handle it.  With the Holy Spirit living inside of me to bring God’s comfort, peace, refreshment, and whatever else I need to get through this life, I don’t have to worry about those moments of silence.  Many times those moments of silence are going to lead me to my greatest moments of victory in Christ—moments I can share with others to encourage them. 

It's Not My Fault!

I ended up in trouble with Tami last week because of not paying attention, and it made me wonder how often the same happens to each of us. One of my weekly tasks at the office is to send out Enews. Every Wednesday morning, I put together the items that are going to be promoted for that week along with a link to my blog. One of the spots is reserved for what’s happening that evening at the church so that people know how to plan.
 
Wednesday was the kickoff for Evolve and Empower, which are groups for women who attend ALC. Tami is over the women’s ministry and emailed me a reminder that they were having their Fall kickoff. I really liked what I read and decided to use it as a blurb in Enews. That’s where the problem occurred, because I didn’t read the whole thing. After she explained what was happening, she gave detailed instructions on what tasks needed to be done to prepare the rooms for the night. Those instructions were meant for the staff, not all of the church. 

I simply cut and pasted the whole paragraph in Enews. I finished getting it ready and proudly hit the “Send” button, and off it went out to the more than 300 families that receive our weekly mailing. Fewer than five minutes later, I received an email from Tami with the words, “You put the email that I sent you in the MAILCHIMP!!!!!!” I can hear her screaming those words even now as I’m writing.

My first thought was, Yes, I did. I thought it sounded really nice. But I knew I had missed something so I quickly went to my email trash folder because I had already deleted her email. I read the whole email that time. Once finished, I laughed and thought, What’s the big deal? This will be a true test to see who really reads Enews and who just glances at it. After calming Tami down – through email because I didn’t think it was the best time to talk in person – I told her that it was going to be fine and not to stress out about it.

A short time later, she received a text from someone asking if she needed to get to church early to turn on the coffee and air conditioning for the ladies, as had been mentioned in the not-for-the-church portion of the item. After I emailed Tami off the ledge a second time, she forgave me and I was able to go home to a loving wife.
 
The lesson is that if sending out an email to 300-plus people, either delete your wife from the recipients or make sure everything is proper. Tami had a good laugh and made sure all the ladies heard about it that evening.
 

The 10-Second Challenge: Are You Up To It?

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” – Romans 10:14 (ESV)

Over the past several months, thousands of individuals have risen up to accept the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS and other great causes. While I’ve done the challenge and, in fact, have been challenged to do it again, I struggle with a problem that churches battle and want to put out the 10-Second Challenge. It is based on the question, “Would you like to come to church with me?”

That’s a question that can be asked in less than 10 seconds but is very seldom asked by Christians. I believe every Christian would agree that the question needs to be asked of those in our community. We might even agree that inviting people to church is a key part of evangelism and central to the mission of any church body. Research has shown that most people actually want to be invited to church, with nine out of 10 unchurched people saying they would come to church if invited.

The problem is that we rarely ask the question. The reality is only about one in five churchgoers invite anybody to church over the course of a year. We might have someone who could be totally up for it right in front of us, practically begging us to invite them, and instead we hesitate and don’t even get the words out of our mouths.

People want to be invited to church, and they would come if we would just invite them. But we’re not doing it. There’s only one probable explanation: fear. Fear of what they’ll think of us for going, fear of what they’ll think of our church, fear of what they’ll think of us if they come and don’t like it. Truth be told, some of those fears might become reality, but that’s not a valid reason for us to deny an opportunity to share Jesus with someone.

Pastor Matt Rogers offers these eight tips for getting around the fear that has stood in your way:

1. Pray you’d have God’s heart for the lost
2. Pray for courage
3.  Pray for specific people
4. Remember your own calling
5.  Remember the Gospel
6. Trust in the power of the Gospel to save
7. Know that sharing the hope of eternity is loving
8. Know that it’s not about you

 

Don't Ignore Algae

Sunday evening I went outside to fill up our pool and noticed a layer of algae covering the walls. I was a little shocked because it had only been a few days since I’d been out to check on the pool. So I took about 20 minutes and set out to brush down all the walls and put shock into the water to kill the algae. After those 20 minutes, the walls were clean and the pool looked normal. I went out Monday evening and was pleased to see that there was no sign of any algae and the water was crystal clear!

What happened to the pool got me thinking about my life. There are those days where everything appears to be moving along perfectly. Work is good, family is good, friendships are great, and all I have to do is maintain. I can get lazy and not think anything of it. The easiest place to get lazy is with Tami because we both work and at the end of the day just want to get dinner then rest. Even though everything appears to be normal and I don’t sense any changes, it doesn’t take long and Tami notices the difference. She will start asking questions that let me know I’m getting lazy and not working at our relationship. Just as our pool seemed to be fine and a few days of neglect led to algae starting to grow, our relationship can appear to be fine but a few days of neglect will begin to affect us.

When those times happen in life, it’s important that I quickly go into action to correct the problem. Had I neglected the pool, not only would it not have gotten better, but the problem would have quickly deteriorated and grown much worse. In my relationship with Tami, my job, and with friends, the same principal applies. When there is a problem and I choose to ignore or neglect it, the problem will not just get better. The longer I ignore the situation, the worse it will get. It may take more than 20 minutes to correct, but it will be corrected much quicker by dealing with it today over ignoring it and creating a bigger mess. If you are like me, it’s not easy taking that first step to correct problems in life, but you will be happy you did when the problem is resolved.

The same thing can be said about your relationship with Christ. The Holy Spirit will convict us when we are letting things creep into our lives that shouldn’t be there. Don’t ignore where God is working in your life, but respond and experience the joy that comes from being in God’s perfect will. All of us will have times where algae can creep in, but that’s just a reminder that we can’t live on cruise control.

The Gender Is???

Yesterday was a big day in the Bullard home because we were able to hear the wonderful news about the new baby that will be entering our lives next March. The “reveal” has become a big part of the pregnancy and is a very special memory for the family. It allows the entire family to voice their opinions on what they think the gender of the new baby is going to be. I have to admit, I got it wrong because I thought for sure that we would be welcoming a baby boy into the family. Truth be told, the thing that matters most is that our precious new granddaughter is born strong and healthy.

I really like the idea of families being able to celebrate the joyous times of life. When you think about all the pressure and stresses that we face each day, it’s fun to just put them aside for a few moments and celebrate the good things that happen. The “reveal” is one of those moments when we get to see how wonderful life is for us. Tami and I are blessed to have a family where there is a lot of love and support. But it doesn’t stop there for us because we get to experience that same love and support every week with the amazing church family that we have in our lives.

While experiencing such great joy I’m totally aware of those families going through difficult times. It may be a physical need, financial need, relationship need, or some other need causing a very challenging time in life. As important as it is to celebrate the good things that are happening in life, we also need to be there for those who are going through the difficult times. There have been so many occasions in life when my church family stood in the gap for me during my time of need. They prayed with me, listened to me, and just loved me. Life is not always fair, but I serve a God who is always there and who has brought an amazing family into my life. Don’t try to make it on your own but instead find encouragement in your family, at home, and at church. Reach out to those in need and show them the love of Jesus by letting them see Jesus in you. 

Bad Trash Day

Every Tuesday is trash day for our neighborhood, so on Tuesday mornings I go through the house, empty the trash cans, and take the trash outside. Most of the time this chore is easily done and I’m off to work, but every so often I have a problem that comes along like it did this week.

I was in the process of loading up a lot of stuff in my car and only had a few items left. I knew I could carry them along with the trash from the kitchen and be off to the office. I pulled the bag out of the trash can, walked to our kitchen counter where I had a couple of things to pick up, then went to our family room to get my computer bag. When I turned around I saw a trail of milk that had been dripping from the bag. It was not a slow drip, and I knew I had to get the trash out of the house, so I ran out the back door. After I separated the trash I went back into the house to assess the damage.

I could see that our floors needed to be cleaned up, so I got paper towels and wiped up all the milk. After that was finished I proceeded to mop the floors so they wouldn’t be sticky. Even though it was only a small amount of milk, it left a nice big mess that I had to deal with.

That is kind of what it is like in my life when I’m aware of things that need to be removed or fixed but just keep on ignoring them. Even though many of them may seem small, if they remain in place they can create a lot of messes for me. I know that I’m not perfect, but I am doing my best to become more like Jesus Christ each day. He is the example that I want to follow, but ignoring even the smallest of things that are not right in my life can quickly leave me being an example of what a disciple of Christ is not supposed to be. Just as I stopped and cleaned up the spilled milk in my house, I need to stop and clean up the issues in my life that can harm my journey with Christ. 

Tami and Electronics

Have you ever found yourself working on a computer and it just freezes up? Or maybe you’ve been away from it for a while, and you go back to start using your computer and it just doesn’t respond? In our family, it’s quite entertaining because that seems to be happening to Tami a lot over the past few weeks. I think she just has that magic touch that doesn’t get along with anything electronic.

The first time it happened, Tami called me very concerned that her computer had crashed and she had lost a lot of valuable documents and pictures. (Tami, back up your work…:)) So I go in and start looking at the computer and notice that it’s getting power but just won’t turn on. I don’t know a lot about computers, but through the years I’ve learned enough to try a few things. One of the first lessons I learned when working with computers is that when nothing is responding, you should restart the computer. Tami works off a laptop, so simply unplugging and plugging it back in would not be enough because it would continue to receive power from the battery inside the computer. I unplugged the computer and proceeded to take out the battery for a few seconds. When I put it back together, the computer started right up and the problem was solved.

Monday, Tami called me at the office and the same problem was happening again. I told her that to correct the problem she needed to do what I did last time. The problem was that she didn’t pay attention to what I was doing. I explained the steps she had to take and it took her a few minutes to figure out how to get the battery out, but once she did the computer worked fine.

That got me thinking about life. So many people are going through life feeling like they are stuck and nothing is happening. Anything they try doesn’t seem to work and they just don’t know what to do. That is why Jesus came to earth. He gave His very life so that we could, in computer language, reboot. Christ gives us the opportunity to start all over again with a clean slate. I may not be very technological, but I understand what it means to be able to start all over again, and I’m rejoicing that my past is forgiven and forgotten. And just as I was able to teach Tami how to reset her computer, I’m excited that I’ve been given the privilege of sharing the message of Jesus Christ with others.

What Makes You Scream?

There are those special moments in life that we all get to experience that are truly, as the commercial says, priceless. As a parent or grandparent those moments come while watching your child or grandchild grow up. Last week we were able to have one of those special days that I will never forget.

Several months ago, Tami (Mimi) found out the circus was coming to town and was able to secure tickets for all of us to go. The day before, we began asking Brynley if she wanted to go to the circus, and the fun part of asking questions of a 20-month-old little girl is you never know what the answer is going to be. If she is in a good mood and it sounds exciting, the answer is yes. If she is a little tired or it doesn’t sound exciting, the answer is no. Well, it must have sounded exciting because she answered us with a yes. We began talking about seeing the elephants, tigers, and clowns. It all sounded good to her. Saturday afternoon we headed out to the circus and made our way to our seats.

Once inside the arena we had some of the best seats available to watch a circus. Brynley was excited even though I don’t think she really knew what was about to happen. She had her face planted on the glass in front of us watching events below unfold. Then it happened—towards the end of the opening the elephants made their way into the arena, and it took a few moments for Brynley to see them, but when she did she let out a scream of excitement. Her full attention was drawn to them as she pressed her nose to the glass. At that moment the heart of a grandfather melted because he understood that the most precious moments in life involve bringing joy to those God brings into your life. During the next two hours we heard five of those screams and every time it brought a big smile to all of our faces.

I hope that I never forget the lesson that Brynley reminded me of that afternoon. Every day I live, surrounded by an amazing family and a great church that I’m allowed to lead, I need to do whatever I can to help bring that “scream of joy” into their lives. A simple act of kindness, like going to a circus for Brynley, can bring great joy to somebody else. You don’t have to have a lot to show kindness but can simply find something that will fill a need in someone else’s life and fill that need. I’ve been blessed throughout my life to have so many people who have given me those “screams of joy” moments, and I want to honor God by doing the same.

Don't Stress Out

So many people go through life unhappy. Every day the news runs stories of those who give up on life because they are depressed and feel like there is no hope. Or I hear the stories of those who can’t find joy because of events that have occurred in their lives, and even though they couldn’t change what happened, they live with guilt and depression, thinking “if only….” 

I’m reminded of Romans 15:13 where it says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” This verse teaches us that we need to learn to trust God. I can’t control everything that happens in my life, but I can control whether or not I trust God. Last Sunday we looked at one of the biggest effects on us if we don’t trust God—stress. I do not believe you are meant to live a life bogged down by stress, but instead we are meant to enjoy the joy and peace that comes from God. So, how do I experience God’s joy and peace?

Here are five things we can do in life to experience God’s peace, and if you will put these truths into practice you will be on the path to experiencing God’s promises for you. Each of these points is taken out of Philippians 4:7-13. Here are the keys to experiencing joy and peace:

1. Stop worrying – nowhere in the Bible does it tell us that we as believers should worry. In fact, it says the opposite: “Be anxious about nothing!”
2. Pray about everything – our problem is that we only pray when it gets really bad. We need to learn that prayer is a way for building our faith and letting our worries go. God hears your prayers and is ready to answer you.
3. Thank God in everything – don’t be confused by this. Paul told the church in Philippi to thank God in everything, but that doesn’t mean for everything. I’m not thankful for getting sick or for losing a job or for any other hardship that comes my way. However, no matter what happens to me I am thankful to God. I’m thankful that he is with me and will give me the strength to get through those times.
4. Think about good things – I am thankful for Philippians 4:8 because it teaches me what I should be thinking about. We get stressed out thinking about things that don’t matter in eternal perspective. Think on the things taught to us in this verse.
5. Be content – the biggest stresses most Americans face are from the pressures of trying to keep up with everyone else. Learn to be content with what you have been blessed with and don’t covet what others may have.

An Embarrassing Visit to the Gym

I shared this story on Sunday during my sermon but thought you might enjoy hearing about a major embarrassing moment that happened to me last week. On Thursday I went to my boxing class, as I do each week. This class was at a different location and the instructor was a guy I’ve only had once before. I remembered that he liked to have team competition races with the winning team spared the exercise punishment given to everyone else at the end of the race. The races could include sprints, frog hops, bear crawls, suicides, or any other exercise that the instructor loved torturing us with.

We were placed into teams and then assigned a lane that our team would use during the races. Our team was on the far outside lane, and we also had one less person than all the other teams. I was standing first in line and would be the person to get our team off to a fast start in every race. The instructor asked if I would go twice so that we would have the same amount of racers as all the other teams. I accepted with great pride and was ready to help bring victory.

The first race was easy—simply sprint from one end of the room to the other and then back to the starting line. We lined up and took our starting positions. With the word “go” I was off, and I felt good. About 10 steps into my sprint, my right toe caught the rubber flooring and I was totally thrown off balance with all of my forward momentum. For a brief moment I was in the air, flying like Superman, but then gravity caught up and I went stomach first onto the rubber matting. One discovery I made is that you don’t slide on rubber matting. I came to a sudden stop, sprawled out and my whole body saying, “ouch.” I was embarrassed and felt like just getting my gym bag and going home. I heard gasps from those behind me and a few asked if I was all right. I felt like asking, “Do I look all right?” but instead said yes because I remembered I was in a race. I quickly looked up and saw everybody else reaching the end of the room and turning for the sprint back to the start line. I knew I had to make up time and pushed myself up and ran as fast as I could to complete the race. I’m thankful that the second time through I made sure to pick up my feet and had no more incidents, but unfortunately, because of my fall, our team came in second place, less than half a second behind the team that won the race.

In our lives we are all going to have those moments when we are giving our all and then suddenly something will happen that will bring us to a grinding halt. Every one of us will have those moments, but the question is not whether you will stumble but how you will react to the fall. Will you lay and moan and feel bad because it may look embarrassing, or will you assess the situation and realize it’s not about the fall but it’s about getting up and moving again? I want to be known for getting up and back into the race. While I’m writing this today my ribs are really sore and my knees have mat burns, but I didn’t quit and won’t quit. There are times in life that I’ll fall and will fail people, my job, my family, and even Christ, but I refuse to allow those failures to cause me to quit. I will get up and make things right and keep on racing. 

We All Need Friends

Tami is about halfway through a three-week business trip. This is one of those trips that she takes every year, but I still haven’t gotten used to her being gone that long. The funny thing is that she is only about 30 miles from our house, but I can’t just jump into the car and go see her because of her crazy work schedule. 

As I’ve been thinking about it this week I understand that I really enjoy her company and the relationship we have together. Relationships are important in life; we all need other people. I need those relationships where I can just relax and have some fun, relationships where I can open up my heart and let someone know what I’m really going through, relationships that encourage me in life, and relationships that help me in my spiritual growth as a Christian. Tami is the special person that God has brought into my life who can fill all of those roles, but for me to be healthy in every area of my life, I have to have a lot more friendships than just Tami. The question I have is: where do I find those relationships?

he greatest friendships and relationships that I’ve had my whole life have come through the church. I’ve had buddies that I’ve played golf, attended sporting events, gone on cruises and vacations, enjoyed dinner, and studied the Bible with. I’m not meant to close myself off from the world, but I need to understand that I need the strong influence of growing Christians in my life. This is where most of my closest friendships should come from because these are friends who share the goals that I have for my life.

I’m not saying that I don’t have friendships with those who do not share my faith—I’m to be a witness to them—but I have to achieve a balance of those who understand my spiritual struggles as well as those I want to show the love of Christ to. Tami is my closest friend and I thank the Lord for her. Many of you reading this are dear friends who have impacted me in so many positive ways, and I hope that I am impacting your life. We all need relationships, and if you are battling loneliness I encourage you to get involved in a church and build some friendships. 

Did I Lose My Man Card?

I’m caught in a dilemma and need help determining whether I’ve crossed a line. As many of you know, I’m not ashamed to call myself a “Metro Male.” I like looking good and do things that would not be considered very manly. I have a rough time with hair growing in all the places I don’t want it to grow, so I take care of it as well as a few other primpy type things. 

Last week Tami asked me to run some errands for her before she had to leave on a two and a half week business trip. I don’t mind running errands to help make the packing process easier for Tami, but I have to ask if I’ve lost my man card. Last Friday, I came in after doing some yard work and found a list of things that I needed to do that day. The first items were running by a couple of pharmacies and picking up some snacks and dry cleaning. Then came four items that would require going to the ladies section of a few stores. These are not typical items that you just run in, grab, and head out, but rather the intimate apparel items for which you may require a consultant. I know that some of you are thinking that I’ve bought this type of stuff before, and while that may be true, it was of a different variety than the stuff I had to purchase on Friday. So not only was I going to purchase these items, but I had to go to three different stores for them.

I went to the first store and quickly found the needed item. Not approached by any sales personnel, I was out of the store in less than five minutes. Maybe this wasn’t going to be as bad as I thought. Store number 2 is where problems began to surface. I was quickly approached by a sales consultant and figured I should tell her what I was looking for so that my shopping experience would end sooner. She took me directly to the items I was in search of and found the sizes I needed. Great, this will be a fast stop too! Then she did it—she started pulling out other varieties and colors that I might want to buy. What started off to be a fast, five-minute purchase now involved intimates spread all over a counter and the pressure of buying them because they would look so good. Whenever I get nervous I start to sweat above my upper lip, and I was sweating….I just wanted to pay my bill and leave. The consultant proceeded to tell me that they had some new items in the back that I’d really like and she’d go get them. That’s when I let my manhood rise to the top and said, “No thanks, I’ll check out now!” She checked me out and I bolted for my car. After that I had one last stop and waited until nobody was around before I went in for the buy. What a day….

So, do I lose my man card after an experience like that? I grew up in a family where my dad would have never considered doing something like that and I don’t think my father-in-law would have either. I am friends with a lot of macho men that I just can’t picture ever doing something like this because they are so macho. I know in life we are all going to have those days when we’re asked to do things that take us way out of our comfort zone. I’ve come to realize that it’s worth the risk if I can help make somebody else’s day a little easier. Whether it’s buying those intimate items, helping with a task, or just opening my mouth to offer encouragement and support, it’s worth the risk. 

Editing Life

A show that I’ve come to enjoy over the past few years is called “Master Chef.” I’m drawn to the show because I love to eat good food and cooking it is almost as fun. The basis of the show is that every contestant is a home chef. They face various challenges that require them to cook dishes that you’d find in quality restaurants. Some of the dishes are highly technical dishes to make, while others are based on understanding the skills of baking. 

I remember the first few seasons watching the show and wondering how in the world these home chefs knew how to make every dish they were challenged to cook. They would share how they’d never made the dish but would produce these unbelievable replicas. The longer I watched, the more it puzzled me, until one day I realized that there is this wonderful tool that is used when creating these one-hour shows that we watch each week. That tool is called “editing.”

When the chefs are challenged to create a dish, I believe that several things happen behind the scenes. I believe they are able to ask questions and are given some clues on how a dish is prepared. I believe there are times when they get to taste the dish and discover flavors that may be hidden inside. And I believe that there are some dishes, especially those that are baked, for which they are given recipes. I believe this because baking is not about finesse and taste but precise measuring and following the directions for the dish to turn out right. So with editing the producers can take several hours to get the right footage to create one hour of exciting television.

In my day to day life, there are times I wish I could eliminate some of my actions because I know I can do better. I can’t go back and edit out those times, but I also don’t have to let them determine my future. I have the recipe for a successful and productive life found through the Word of God and all I have to do is follow that recipe. I can’t edit my life—in fact, I remember my mistakes and can relive them over and over—but this is what I need to remember: God is the ultimate editor who promises to never remember my failures. Once I ask for forgiveness, he wipes the slate clean and will never bring it back again. He also promises to give me the proper tools to live life to its fullest and make a powerful impact on those around me. Discover what God has for you and let him edit out your past failures. Forget the past and look forward to the great things you’re going to produce through your life this week. 

The Bullard's Go Skeet Shooting

A few days ago Tami and I had the opportunity to go away with some family for a mini-vacation. We were at the Lazy G Ranch near Clifton and had a wonderful time just relaxing. While there, we did something that neither of us had ever done before: skeet shooting. We found a place where we could do some target shooting, and I watched as those with us shot skeet with relative ease. I wondered if I’d be able to hit one of those flying discs. 

My turn came and I felt a little nervous as I walked up holding the shotgun. I battle with the fear of looking silly because I can’t do something. That’s called pride, and pride can keep you from enjoying many fun things in life. More importantly, it can prevent great things from happening in your life because you want to avoid any type of failure. I took the shotgun and approached the shooting line. Along with never having shot skeet, I also had never fired a shotgun before, so a lot of thoughts were going through my mind: Is this going to kick? Will it hurt my shoulder? Where do I aim? I asked several questions and quickly processed that information so I knew what to do. With that, I was ready, and shot skeet for the first time in my life. I don’t think I was too bad because I hit 50% of the skeet I shot at. So even though I wasn’t perfect, I enjoyed this first-time experience.

Tami was next. Like me, Tami had never tried to shoot skeet, and she too had never fired a shotgun. Like me, Tami asked several questions, and as she stood there my brother-in-law offered to tell her when to shoot. Without her noticing, he moved to a safe position to her side and held a shotgun. When she said she was ready, the skeet was sent into the air. He said “Fire!” and Tami shot her gun. At the same time he fired his shotgun and hit the skeet with ease. Tami was so excited because she thought she’d hit the skeet, and everybody played along with that thought. It was fun watching her celebrate such a great victory. I wish we’d left well enough alone, but Tami shot again and this time my brother-in-law’s timing was off. He shot his rifle a moment after Tami had fired hers and she heard it. She quickly realized that he shot the skeet and not her and laughed along with the rest of us at the prank.

We had such a great weekend and thank the Gaffney family for letting us enjoy a few days away. I was also reminded that I can’t let the fear of failure keep me from enjoying the fun and challenging things that come in life. If I’m going to experience success in all areas of my life, I need to be willing to step out of my comfort zone. 

Brynley's Not Going To Be Happy

Today is an exciting day for our family...our granddaughter is going to start her first day ever to a Mother’s Day Out program. Unfortunately for her, I don’t think she will have the same excitement that I have about her first day of school. Brynley is very attached to her mom and does not like it when mom is not close by. She will be going through the dreaded “separation anxiety.” Every child goes through it at some point, but most of them adjust quickly to the circumstances. I’m really questioning if Brynley will fall into that category. You see, Brynley is the only grandchild for both sides of her family. She is always with adults and she rules when she is around. She brings so much joy and laughter into our lives, and she is really smart and entertaining. Still, she’s also very good at letting you know what she doesn’t want. She will hold up her hand, shake it, and say no, making sure you understand that she is not in the mood for what you want to do. On top of that, it’s not very pleasant when Brynley goes to her nursery class on Sundays because she wants to be with her mom. We all know Brynley needs to work through this, so the decision was made that she would attend Mother’s Day Out for the rest of its summer session.

I remember when Krystal, Brynley’s mom, was five and getting ready to begin kindergarten. She was so excited and had worked through the separation stuff much earlier in her life. With Tami and me in full-time ministry, she was always handed off to adults when we were working at the church. So she was excited as we went to school that first morning. Our family all walked Krystal to school and to her class, and she sat with all the other first-day students while the parents stood around outside of the class. Sounds like a beautiful setting—until you learn that over half the students were crying, the moms were crying, and to me it was a very funny scene. Krystal was in shock and looked to us because she didn’t know if she should cry or not. We assured her everything was fine, and she went on and had a great first day of school.

As a Christian, I want my life to make a difference in the lives of others. To do that I must be willing to step out into uncomfortable territory. That means I may have to face my own type of separation anxiety because I like the normal and comfortable. Life is about taking steps of faith, and it’s the same for anyone who is going to do anything great for the Lord. Stop making excuses and waiting until you feel like you’re ready. What can you do today to step out in faith and impact a life?