Church Hopping

One of the benefits for a pastor who's taking a few weeks off is that he can visit some other churches and worship with them. I did that yesterday and really enjoyed seeing how God is at work in other places --- even though I really missed being at Capstone!

The funniest part of the experience was walking into the two churches and seeing the facial reaction from the pastors. Both saw me as soon as I walked in and the look on their faces said, "What is he doing here?" Pastors RARELY visit other churches because of the whole working-on-Sunday-morning thing. Their shock was priceless. One even asked if I had gotten myself fired!

My first stop was Hope Fellowship. Mark Gasque is pastor and Jeff Brannon is worship pastor. Mark and I are connected because we bought his house when we moved to Anderson eight years ago. I know Jeff better. We have mutual friends and have hung out at lunch. Both are great guys.

Hope meets at 9:30 am in a former retail space between Books-A-Million and Circuit City. They've done a great job converting an old store into "church space." Everything looks top notch. The sound was great. Jeff is an excellent vocalist and leader and the band was tight. A young man on guitar shared vocals with Jeff and he had an excellent voice as well. They had a guest preacher. I slipped out before the service was over so I could get to my next destination.

The crowd was small but friendly. I was reminded of something us churches do that I had forgotten about. Those times when we "turn and welcome someone to the church" can be really uncomfortable for visitors if it lasts too long. I found myself standing alone with only a few people reaching out to me. Everyone else spent time greeting those they knew. This is understandable (it happens at Capstone) but awkward for the guest who really wants to just be a part of the service and not become too obvious. A good reminder.

My second stop was at Redeemer Church whose service begins at 10:30 am. Redeemer is a new Presbyterian church that meets in the old Ramada Inn. Patrick Miller is the pastor. Patrick and I met at Panera a few years ago and have talked a few times since then. I like what I've seen of Patrick and felt the Lord leading me to worship there.

The service Patrick and his team put together was for me (and others, I'm sure). Their service included a lot of Scripture, a time of personal confession and repentance, reflection, and prayer. Patrick did a great job teaching the Word. And the service concluded with Communion.

What touched me the most was how the service began. Patrick read (as it was projected on the walls) some Scripture about repentance and confession. Then, he invited us (if we were willing and physically able) to kneel before the Lord in humility and reverence as we allowed God to search our hearts. This simple act of personal reflection and honoring God by kneeling and praying helped me to prepare my heart for worship. Just a few moments of confessing all my struggles and anxieties and asking God to speak to me during the service had a HUGE impact on my personal worship. I felt more open and in tune with God and ready to hear from Him. And God really spoke to me through the songs, the Scripture and the sermon.

From the moment the service began, there was a sense of honor and reverence towards our amazing God. The set-up was simple. (Reminded me of Capstone's beginning days at the LaQuinta Inn.) The songs were a mix of current and traditional. There were kids in the room squirming and people going in and out. But throughout everything that was said and sung, God was exalted. It was all about Him. We even sang, "How Great Is Our God" along with "A Mighty Fortress." What a great combo!

I left there feeling personally stronger and more ready to handle the challenges of my life because our focus had been on the greatness of God. Understand: I knew God was great going in. But spending 90 minutes truly focused there had a great impact on me. And it all began with that time of confession and reflection.

That's something I don't do enough personally and it's something we do not do enough corporately as well. I'm looking forward to adding that in our Capstone services in the future.

One of my goals during this time off from Capstone is my personal spiritual nourishment. I got fed yesterday at two different churches and I thank God for them both. It's great to see God at work through new churches in our community.

Thanks for continuing to pray for me and my family. Those prayers continue to be greatly needed.

"The Shack" Review

A couple of weeks ago, I got emails on the same day from two different people in the church telling me that I had to read this book called "The Shack." Knowing I was going to be taking some time off, I picked it up and gave it a read.

A little background: The Shack has been one of those books that "came out of nowhere" and has steadily climbed the bestseller charts. Even though it was published over a year ago, as of today, it is the #10 bestselling book of all books on Amazon.com. It has created a lot of buzz from people who love its message of redemption to many in Christian circles bashing it for its obvious theological errors and twisting of fundamental Scriptural principles.

I mostly enjoyed reading "The Shack." The reader - especially the reader who is a Christ-follower - must understand that it is a work of fiction. Many of the descriptions of God, the Trinity, and His sovereignty are not accurate. Yet there is much that is Truth within this little book. That's what makes a book like this potentially dangerous to the reader who does not know what he or she actually believes as truth.

The appeal of "The Shack" is obvious. It taps into the emotional reservoirs that are common for us all: the guilt of past mistakes, personal failures, trying to understand why tragedies occur, and ultimately, making sense of God. As I was reading, I could easily relate to the emotional state of the main character (Mack) and to the questions about life that he had. Everyone shares the common experience of heartbreak at some point in life. And, everyone is looking for healing and hope.

The Shack attempts to provide that healing and hope through its fictional characters. While the story is genuinely relatable and its redemptive ending feels good to the reader, its inaccuracies in Truth should be a caution to anyone who reads it. Don't go looking to "The Shack" to give you hope in your circumstances. Don't go looking to "The Shack" to provide emotional healing for some hurt you may have. Don't go looking to "The Shack" for a better understanding of God.

Look to God's Word found in The Bible for hope, healing, and understanding. That is the only place to find absolute Truth in our world.

Should you read The Shack? You may enjoy it. You may want to stay away from it. I trust you can make that decision for yourself.

Just remember that ultimate Truth, life-changing Truth, is not found in an old wooden barn in the middle of the woods. It's found only in the Holy Word of God.

PS - Have you read this book? Leave a comment and share what you thought about it.

Time

If you were at Capstone yesterday, you heard me share that I am going to be taking the next month off from the daily work of pastoral ministry. In some ways, it was a difficult decision to make. I love what God has given me to do and I take my calling and responsibility to the church very seriously. My heart's desire is to be faithful to my role as pastor and teacher. But in other ways, the decision for the time away came very easily.

I've shared with you that over the past six months or so, my family has been going through some extreme trials. These trials have taken their toll on us. I am physically tired and emotionally exhausted. I know that this is not a good place for anyone to be, especially someone charged with the spiritual leadership of God's flock. The Lord has made it clear to me that I need some time to take care of myself, my family, and to focus on our health. My responsibilities to them is even more important than my responsibilities to the church.

I know that the Lord is our answer and our solution. He has been that for me since the day I met Him as Savior 34 years ago. HOW He is going to reveal His answers and solutions at this time has yet to be seen. I am going to spend this time seeking Him and waiting on Him.

I serve at Capstone with some amazing people. Our leadership team of trustees and staff have been and continue to be completely supportive of me, my family, and the needs we have. They are giving me this time with their blessings and prayers and for that I am so appreciative.

If you are a part of the Capstone family, let me remind you again of what I shared yesterday. During this time, we must not become like "most churches." At "most churches," when the pastor is away, people use that as an excuse not to go to church. Don't do that. At "most churches," when there are trials within the body, especially if it involves leadership, people begin to gossip and pass judgment and make up stories without knowing the truth. Don't do that.

Capstone has never been like "most churches" and we must not become that now. The work of God's church continues. The mission that God has given us of "Loving people into the abundant life that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ" has not changed. If anything, the trials and challenges we all face should draw us closer together as a body as we pray and love and hold each other up during the hard times. The enemy wants to use whatever he can find to divide us. But as God's family, we must pray fervently and continue the fight against the enemy every step of the way.

Thank you for continuing to pray for us. I thank you for your love and support for me and my family. I will not be disappearing or going into hiding during this month. You'll see us at most everything going on. On Sundays, we will have different speakers in the pulpit and I look forward to hearing from them as well. And finally, I do not know how often I will write here over these weeks. I will as the Lord gives me something to share with you.

Blessings.

Home

It was great to have a few days and nights away at the beach. There's a place in Garden City that we've been going to off and on for many years. It's really like a second home. Very comfortable. Oceanfront. Most importantly, it's away from the madness of Myrtle Beach. No one had reserved the place the first week of June - which is very unusual. So we jumped on it. The Lord provided the time and I'm thankful.

Claire took a friend with her and so she had someone to hang with. That was good. I spent the early mornings walking the beach and talking (out loud) to God --- filling His ear with all my questions and asking Him for answers. I've always felt His enormity at the beach. Just looking out at the vastness of the ocean and the power of the waves confirms to me that He is huge and powerful. Even the fact that the ocean knows where to stop as the tides come and go completely amazes me.

Did God give me my answers? Honestly? Not as specifically as I would like. But He did remind me who He is and who I am because of Him. He reminded me of His plans and purposes for me -- plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future. He reminded me that I walk by faith and not by sight and that it's okay for me not to have the answers. He reminded me that He knew about this trial and He knows where this road leads. He reminded me to trust Him completely and to listen for and to His voice alone. That's what I must do as I continue to walk this road.

We had some serious fun at the Nascar Speedpark, though a five-year-old driving a go-cart (is that crazy or what???) about gave me whiplash as he hit me full speed after the race was over. Not good. We played putt-putt a couple of times and hit the arcade a few times as well. No matter how high-tech some of the games get, there's nothing better than skee ball with those old wooden balls. I love it!

I hear David did a great job at Capstone on Sunday. I will be back at Capstone this Sunday but I'm not speaking. Our youth leader, Brent Thomason, will be bringing the message. I am really looking forward to what God gives him to share. Brent did a great job speaking in Cuba on our last mission trip. I know God will use him on Sunday. Pray for him this week as he prepares!

And please pray for me as I take a few more days off. I continue to pray and seek God's wisdom and direction. Pray for Yvonne and Claire as well. And thanks for your love and concern for each of us!

Off

I'm off for a few days of sand and surf. We're headed down to Garden City so I won't be in blog-land for a while.

I would really appreciate you praying for me while I'm away. God knows I need a mental break and some answers. I'm thankful that He has a plentiful supply of both.

Thanks for praying for me and my family. I pray God blesses your week as well.

Latest newspaper column

As a member of our local newspaper's Faith and Values Advisory Board, I write a column every six to seven weeks. The latest ran today and you can read it here. Parts of it were a blog a month or so ago, so it may look familiar to you. Let me know what you think.

The Good Shepherd

I am reading through the Psalms in my quiet time. When I got to Psalm 23, I felt as if I already knew it and wondered how many times I had heard or read it over the years.

But the wording in the New Living Translation is very fresh and really spoke to me. Please take a moment and read it slowly, letting each promise resonate in your spirit. And be blessed and reassured through whatever is going on in your life today. Your shepherd knows.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever."
Psalm 23 (NLT)

Family Day at the Braves

We spent Memorial Day in Atlanta watching the Braves beat the Arizona Diamond-
backs. My sister and I gave Mom and Dad this trip for Mother's Day and his birthday. They are HUGE Braves fans and we thought they would really enjoy the day. And they did! Claire and Josh (one of my sister's two sons) were in the middle of all the fun as well.

It was such a great day for family memories. We laughed all day long. Everyone had a story about some crazy trip we took when we were kids. We had lunch at The Dwarf House, which is the original Chick-Fil-A. The Lord blessed us with great seats right behind first base in the SHADE! Since it was Memorial Day, there was a moving tribute to veterans and our nation, including a fighter jets fly-over. And Phil Stacey, American Idol alum, sang the national anthem. AND, the Braves won!

Claire got all excited watching Yunel Escobar play shortstop. Escobar is a 25-year-old Cuban and a rising star on the Braves' team. She's into all things Cuban (as you can see from her shirt above) and was trying to figure out how to meet him. She took more pictures of him than she did anything else during the day!

God is so good. Through all the ups and down of life, I count it a blessing to have a loving and supportive family. Even though we were missing a couple of members yesterday, I was reminded once again how blessed we are. Mom and Dad have given so much to us over the years --- it was a real blessing to give back to them in a small way and make some memories that will last forever.

Pray for this Family

As you may have heard already, Steven Curtis Chapman's five-year-old daughter died yesterday when she was accidentally struck by a vehicle driven by her older brother. This is an incredible tragedy that makes every parent's heart ache. Not only have they lost a child but it came about accidentally through one of their other children. They will experience unspeakable grief over the days ahead.

Here's a note written from Chapman's manager on his website:

Your prayers are needed for all in the Chapman family. This is a family who has so generously loved and given to so many. Just hours before this close knit family was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman, and were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman's completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago. These words are unthinkable to type. - Jim Houser (Manager)

The music of Steven Curtis Chapman has had a big impact on my life over the past 20 years. He seems to be a grounded man of strong faith and character. I have been greatly encouraged by his music over the years. I even used to sing one of his songs when Yvonne and I travelled in ministry. It is called, "My Redeemer Is Faithful and True." I pray the words to that song will now encourage this family.

In spite of his fame and celebrity, at the end of the day he's simply a man whose heart is broken. Please pray for him, his wife and all the family.

As we all know, life can change forever in an instant. But God is our hope no matter the circumstances of life.

"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you." Psalm 33:22 (NIV)

Completely Covered

"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.
For you bless the godly, O Lord;
you surround them with your shield of love."
Psalm 5:11-12 (New Living Translation)

One of the characteristics of God that I am always thankful for is that He is our Protector. I spent some time reading in the first few chapters of Psalms this morning and ran across this beautiful character-trait once again.

David, the shepherd boy who became king of Israel, paints a picture of God as Protector in the above passage. I know that David knew what it meant to take refuge in God. David faced all kinds of trials in his life --- some brought on by those who did not like or approve of him. Others were brought on by himself and the bad decisions he made.

But through it all, David continually ran back to God because his experience showed him that God was his Protector. Look at the request David made for all of us who take refuge in God: "Spread your protection over them." Those words bring to my mind a large, sturdy canopy spread over God's people. We gather under it and are protected from the storms that rage around us. It's like God's giant umbrella and we can get under it and be safe there with Him.

The other phrase I love in this passage is the end of verse 12: ". . . you surround them with your shield of love." Not only are we protected from above, but we are protected on all sides by God's shield of love. God's shield of love is strong and cannot be penetrated by the enemy. No matter what may come at us, God's shield of love will stand.

That means God has us completely covered! That's good news for the beginning of this new week, isn't it? I have no idea what may happen in my life this week. I am sure you do not either. But no matter what may come our way, when we make Him our refuge, we can rejoice because He spreads His protection over us and surrounds us with His shield of love --- and we are safe there.

Thank You, God!

Word of the Day

fog (fôg, fŏg)
noun
1.	droplets of water vapor suspended in the air near the ground
2.	an atmosphere in which visibility is reduced because of a cloud of some substance
3.	confusion characterized by lack of clarity

For some reason, #2 & 3 apply to me today. #1 may also, depending on what the weather does.

Monday Thoughts

Good Monday to you, my faithful readers. I hope you all had a great weekend and that your week is off to a good start. Here's a rundown of what's running through my head, just in case you are interested:

• I am really thankful for my mother. She has given and sacrificed so much for me, my sister, my dad, the grandkids, and all of her family for many years. I would not be the man I am today if it had not been for her. She also taught me to cook and bake and for that I am very thankful as well. Yes, I am a mama's boy and have no problem with that. I love you, Mama!
• I have thoroughly enjoyed the "Spring Training" teaching series we've been in at Capstone. The response has been great and it has really focused me and many others on how we can condition ourselves to follow Christ. This week, we're working on keeping our feet on the path that God has for us --- not the evil ones all around us!
• My dad's birthday is this Thursday, May 15, so my sister and I decided to give Mom and Dad a joint mother's day/birthday present. We are taking them to see the Atlanta Braves play on Memorial Day. They LOVE the Braves and watch all the games on TV. It should be a lot of fun for all of us to pile in the van and head to Atlanta for the game.
• Claire reminded me last night that she's about finished with tenth grade in only one year she will be headed into her senior year and then off to college. I asked her not to tell me that again for at least another year.
• Could you believe the wind yesterday and last night? It was crazy!
• An old friend from high school has been at church the last few Sundays. That has been cool. My sister saw me talking to her yesterday after the service and my sister said, "She doesn't look as old as you do." Thanks, Sis! Love you too!!!
  
• I am looking forward to our lake service on Memorial weekend, May 25. (Don't forget we will NOT be meeting at AmStar.) It's always fun to do something different and worship outside. Maybe Bekky will lead us in "God of Wonders." That would be great for an outdoor service, wouldn't it? I wonder if she's ever thought of doing "God of Wonders???"
  
• Much prayer continues to be needed on the home front. Please continue to pray for all three of us.
  

Thanks for stopping by today!

Truth

"Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth." Proverbs 16:13 (NIV)

One of the things I have learned about life over these many years is that an honest answer is always the best answer.

I can usually tell when someone is lying, not telling the whole truth, or omitting parts of the story that if told could result in some kind of problem for that person. For whatever reason, I have always been able to do this. My daughter hates this about me because it means that she seldom gets away with anything. She has asked me many times, "Daddy, how did you know?" And I say, "I just did!"

What amazes me about honesty and truth in today's world is that most people never tell "the whole truth and nothing but the truth" and everyone seems to be okay with that. People are constantly stretching the truth --- even some who call themselves Christ-followers. Know what happens to truth that is stretched? It's just like a rubber band pulled to its ultimate breaking point. One more stretch and it will pop and the sting of that elastic snap will leave a painful whelp. And once the rubber band actually breaks, it's nearly impossible to put it back together.

God talks a lot about truth, honesty, and integrity in His Word. Look at this: "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity." Proverbs 11:3 (NIV). Integrity is a faithful guide and will never lead us astray. As followers of Jesus, we must walk in the same integrity in which He walked. That is the path of truth.

When it comes to the truth, I would much rather know sooner than be surprised later. Wouldn't you? I would much rather get the full story now so that the truth of the matter can be dealt with honestly and openly. Some people wait and delay the truth - to tell the truth at a more "convenient time." But delayed truth is not truth at all. It's dishonesty and God is never pleased with dishonesty.

Yes, the truth can be painful at times and we don't like to hear it ESPECIALLY if we are the ones in the wrong. But if it is indeed the truth, let's just be honest about it.

Today

For the past six years, I have been privileged to pastor this church called Capstone. In fact, Capstone began exactly six years ago tomorrow - Monday, May 5. It's hard to believe it has been six years. We've seen God do some amazing things in these six years. We've seen many people saved and lives dramatically changed by the power of Jesus Christ. As I looked out at the audience today, I thought of the many roads we have walked together. So many of the people sitting in those chairs would not be in church today had God not planted Capstone in Anderson. I praise Him for that and we give Him all the glory.

Personally, I have grown in huge ways. God has stretched me beyond anything I could have imagined when we began. I have made many mistakes along the way. With the Lord's help, I believe I've made some good decisions as well. The greatest time of stretching came as I made the really hard decisions --- those that required standing on the Truth rather than giving in to what people wanted, what made everyone happy or kept them comfortable. I've been criticized and some have wanted to skewer and barbecue me --- I'm sure of that. I've shed tears over the heartache that comes with pastoring. But through it all, my heart has been to honor God with my life and lead His church in the way He directs me. At the end of the day, that is all that matters: leading in the way God leads.

Even though I have the amazingly wonderful and humbling responsibility of being "pastor," I am also a member of the flock. Today was evidence of that as I shared my "burdens" with my fellow church members. It was so amazing to be able to safely stand before you and tell you about my family's trials and ask you to pray KNOWING that you will do that. It was amazing to see the church BE the church that we knew God wanted us to be from day one: a church that loves God and loves people above all else. My family and I got to be the recipient of that love today (as we have many times before) and I thank you for loving, supporting, and standing in the gap for us. Please keep praying.

The amazing thing about this life is that we do not know or understand so many of the turns that the road takes. The ride can be dangerous and difficult. It can even be down-right scary at times. But because of our loving Heavenly Father, we can know with confidence that there is a plan that is greater than anything we can ever ask or imagine.

My hope, confidence and faith is placed today in the One who made me, who loves me, who has never failed me, and who never makes mistakes. Even though I cannot see where this road leads, I know who walks with me and who awaits me when I get to the end. And even when it all looks bleak and there is no hope, YET I WILL REJOICE.

"Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior."

Habbakuk 3:17-18 (NIV)

Thank you for continuing to pray for my wife and me, for holding up my arms (Exodus 17), and for carrying our burdens. I love and appreciate you more than you know.

True worshipers

Sorry I haven't posted over the past week. Things have been a little crazier than normal. The Lord clearly told me about ten days ago to ". . . let your words be few." (Ecclesiastes 5:2) That's hard to do but I have tried --- even on the blog.

The past month at Capstone has been really, really great. God is at work within the church. The Spirit of openness, brokenness and worship within the body has been very real. There are many people truly seeking a life-changing relationship with Jesus - not just going to church. Not just playing church. Not just doing church. We've never been the church "just to attend" because it's Sunday. God has consistently called us to follow His example of selflessness and servanthood. It's challenging and takes a lot of sacrifice. But according to His Word, that's what we are called to do.

Everyone doesn't agree. We live in a consumer-driven culture and people bring that attitude into church. "The church should meet my needs" is the attitude of so many. People walk into churches every Sunday, sit on a pew or in a chair, and wait on "the church" to satisfy some spiritual need they have. And if "the church" does not consistently meet their felt needs, then they will leave and search for one that does.

I don't recall Jesus ever saying, "Go into my church and get your needs met." He never said it was about us in the first place! The work of "the church" (Christ-followers) is to love and serve those around us and in order to do that we will have to put ourselves aside for someone else. I love coming together for "worship with the family" on Sundays but that is just a small part of what the church is.

Yesterday, we could not get the audio to work for the videos we were using during the service. And for about 15 minutes, that frustrated me. Our worship leader Bekky was frustrated. Our sound folks were frustrated. And after my critical thoughts of "why can't we get this right?", the Lord reminded me that our purpose there had nothing to do with a video. We were there to worship Him and that was possible without videos, cables, sound boards, etc. All we needed to have were humble hearts before Him and we would be able to worship. And we did and it was an amazing time together!

We can be so easily distracted by "our needs" that we totally lose sight of what we're supposed to be doing in the first place. John 4:23 says, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."

That's who I am supposed to be - a true worshiper. That's what you are supposed to be. And that's God's greatest desire for Capstone --- that we be true worshipers who worship the Father in spirit and truth.

There's nothing in that verse about me. That's the way God wants it to be.

Rockin' Chair

Here's my girl at the Clemson Botanical Gardens on Sunday in her rockin' chair. Get it?

Monday Morning

Good morning! Here's a quick update on some things going on:

• Sunday at Capstone was great! We had a really big crowd and the response to the "Spring Training" series has been really good.
• We also had a great day of giving --- which is always needed as the work of the church continues. Praise God for providing!
• I loved seeing so many little kids running around. It seems that our preschool area is growing rapidly and it's fun to see moms and dads chasing their kids around the lobby after church.
• It was great having someone from Cliff's church at Capstone Sunday. She now lives in Anderson and he encouraged her to come our way. Thanks, Cliff!
• What a beautiful day Sunday was! Claire and I went up to the Botanical Gardens in Clemson in the afternoon and walked and enjoyed the day. She almost got attacked by a goose who was sitting on her nest. It was hilarious watching Claire run as the goose squawked!
• Dairy Queen's Georgia Mud Fudge Blast is amazing.
• We went to the cookout under the bridge on Saturday. It was fun hanging out with some of the folks I've gotten to know who eat at the Soup Kitchen. Some of the guys were surprised when they found out that I am "the preacher." Skeet told me I looked like a "street person, like one of them." That was one of the greatest compliments I've gotten in a long time!
• Went bowling Saturday afternoon and I beat Nick in the second game! He's a "young pro" and it was pretty cool to win a game. I have to admit --- he was way off of his average so I got lucky!
  
• Stay focused on the Spring Training, Capstoners! Remember this week's challenge: Speak words that are pleasing to God.
  
• Lord, what do you have for me today?
• I hope you have a great Monday. Leave me a comment and let me know what's going on with you!
  

Psalm 55

Just a quick Friday morning post before I get busy finishing up for Sunday.

If you've read this blog for very long, you have probably figured out by now that I have been in the middle of some trying days for quite a while. And even though I have not written about the specifics of the trials, I've wanted to be open with you about the fact that they are going on. I have appreciated more than you could ever know the comments and the prayers that so many of you have left and emailed me with. Some of you I don't even know and you have prayed for me. Thank you.

Because God is God and He is still doing His job, He has spoken to me through His Word on many occasions. There have been days that I have literally read a chapter or passage and felt as if I were reading the story of my life at this moment and time. That's how alive and amazing God's Word is.

Psalm 55 has been that for me this week. On Monday, God showed it to me. Since then, He has prodded me to read it over and over again --- sometimes even in the middle of the night. Every word of this chapter DOES NOT apply to my trials --- so if you read it, don't think I'm wishing death to my enemies. :) But I am praying death to this attack that has been going on for so long now. It is time for God's victory and the enemy's defeat.

So, if you find yourself in the middle of a trial and don't know the answers, pick up God's Word. I guarantee that you will find your story in there as well.

"But as for me, I will trust in you." Psalm 55:23 (NIV)

Pumping out the tank

My friend Cliff Marshall, pastor at Freedom Fellowship in Greer, has a GREAT POST on his blog today. I'm talking GREAT. Take a few moments and read it. You won't be sorry.

Promises

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."
Lamentations 3:22-26 (NIV)