Raising the Water Level

Spring is the time of the year when man made lakes and reservoirs begin to raise the water level. This is of course the right time to do that. Folks who swim, boat and fish will all be out in force in a few short weeks. Those kinds of activities need a higher water level.

As I rode by the lake near my home a few weeks back I was suddenly aware of how low the water level was. I thought it would be higher by now. The dam that controls the water level had not been altered to allow a higher water level. In the middle of the lake you could see dry land. In other places you could see garbage and other items that had been hidden from view. It was not that someone had just decided to place these items in the lake. They had been there all along. It was just that no one could see them due to the higher water level. Now that the water lever had receded, items that had been hidden were suddenly in plain view.

How many times are our lives like that lake? There are things underneath the surface of which others may not be aware, but they are there just the same. Some things we can keep hidden for long periods of time, but sooner or later the water level will fall. When that occurs, the hidden things are revealed.

I love reading in 2 Corinthians where Paul is defending his ministry against those who have questioned it. What is really very interesting is how his life reads like an open book. There are no water levels to drop. There is no garbage to be revealed. Was he perfect? Far from it. But he clearly opened himself up to those around him for their edification and growth.

Do not misunderstand me. There are some issues where we all choose to remain private, and that is our right. However, when we hide everything about our lives from other believers, it harms us and hinders the body of Christ.

Do you have a safe place to open up your life? There are numerous places where this could happen. It could be in your small group, in your Bible study group, or with a few close Christian friends. But we all need a safe place where we can simply be who we are, so we can let God show through as the water level rises and falls.

Personal Poetry

"During the Emotons"

How did

I get here?

This is not something

I planned. But

these feelings just seem to come upon me.

I never intended to have these feelings for anyone.

It is as if they sneaked up on

me.

I have always claimed - - - at least outwardly - - -

self-sufficiency. Now

these feelings come.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

My life is something that has been

carefully orchestrated,

planned,

structured,

orderly. But now

these feelings come.

What do they mean?

Do they mean anything?

Should they mean something?

Guidance –

that is what I need.

Advise – of that

I have plenty.

I need no more.

Frustration –

it has paid a visit,

several visits in fact.

So it is to You

I come - - - seeking

This

guidance. Because now

these feelings come.

A Move on the Horizon & Poetry

Most reading this may not be aware that I have enjoyed writing poetry for some time. I have written on numerous topics in the past. I intend to post some here from time to time for those who enjoy that art form as much as me.

However, I am a bit frustrated with blogger now. It will not allow me to keep the formatting in my poetry. My writing is free form. I make use of lots of indents and other elements using the visual as much as the written word to convey my thoughts. I choose those features carefully. I do not like how it comes out here. When I post the poetry, remember it is not formatted as I would like. If you would like to receive it in a Word Document to read it in full formatting, just shoot me an email. The text is unchanged, only the visual presentation.

This frustration will not be the case forever. I am plotting a move.

I have purchased www.matrixminister.com and intend to keep my post on my own site in the future. I am teaching myself and getting some tutuorials on Dreamweaver to allow me to overcome issues such as those mentioned above.

I will repost the poetry correctly in the future on the new site when live and will let you know.

I will link the new site from here once it is live. Be patient. I have to get my office manager and my daughter to help this dumb southerner learn the new software. For now, I hope the poetry is worth the read.

Watching Martha Stewart

Okay, I admit it. I have never been a fan of Martha Stewart. I have always felt she was arrogant and bossy. Now, that was totally out of line for me to think or feel that way, because I do not know her. I have never watched her full programs, read her books, or met her in person. I did hear interviews stating that and we know they are always truthful! {Smile here} In short, I was being prejudiced and bigoted by those feelings.

Confession is now over.

I did not watch Martha’s TV show, even though she could tell me sixteen things I could do with a pine cone to liven up my living room. I am not a fan of TV remodeling and make over shows in general, unless I am learning something I could do when I get my lazy rear end off the sofa get to work on my own home.

I did pay a bit of attention to Martha’s trial, however. I laughed at David Letterman’s jokes. But somehow, something did not seem right. Why was she made such an example? Why was she was treated like Enron and WorldCom when her misdeeds were far less severe? I know very little about the situation in actuality. (If all you or I know is what you get from the media on any story, you know very little.) But from what I have been able to tell, she got a raw deal. Feel free to post comments telling me I am crazy, but I simply have not seen the grandiose crime she was supposed to have committed. Granted, I am not a financial analyst, but I do know some things, and this one just does not add up.

Consequently, I have been watching her behavior very intently since she flew the coup and was granted her limited measure of freedom. You know what I have noticed? Very little. Martha has been amazingly silent. This is not an attack. These are actually words of admiration.

How many folks have we seen released from prison who when released cannot stay out from in front of a microphone? How many use the media to campaign for their innocence. As best I can tell, Martha has done none of that. Since her release she has accepted her fate and seems to be making the best of it.

Herein is a lesson for us all. My two year old grandson is learning to whine, but he is two!! How many of us whine and complain about our fate in life rather than just accepting it and going about trying to make the best of it or improving it?

I for one, plead guilty. Oh, I am not guilty all the time. I am not guilty most of the time. But I most certainly have been guilty of the whining crime some of the time, and I did not even have a camera to perform for or a cause to champion innocence on.

Martha has a new fan. But I still will not be working on those pine cones!

Finding Your Purpose - Part 2: Life Purpose Questions

A couple of years back, I was granted a sabbatical by my former church. It was a time of study and refreshment. I used that time for many endeavors. One of them still bears fruit today. I spent time writing my Life Mission Statement or Life Purpose Statement. Over the years I have had numerous folks quiz me about that process. In short it involved a lot of introspective work on myself.

At that time I had just finished reading the book Half Time: From Success to Significance by Bob Buford. In it the author addresses some of these sort of issues.

I felt that I owed it to myself to spend some time evaluating exactly why I was here and what I should be about. The end result was a statement that has proven very valuable in some aspects and a waste of time in some others. It was worth all the effort, no matter what the usage today.

In yesterday's blog I spent some time talking about the short term evaluation when you are "tanking." This is not about that at all. This one is about the long view. It is about asking the big picture questions regarding your life.

For my case, it involved a series of questions that I spent time tearing apart and honestly answering. Those questions are below. They are not magical. They are a combination of many sources. I was influenced by Buford's book. But influence also came from numerous other sources as well as some questions that I just knew should be on the list, so I wrote them myself.

You have them below in raw form. I pray that you may be able to take these questions and do some reflective thinking to assist yourself in determining the direction for the remainder of your life. Some may see the need for a change; others may see things are okay as they presently are. Either is okay.

Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. It is your honest answering of the questions that will enable you to look into your soul.

A word of warning: Do not expect this to be done in an evening. I worked for days. Most folks I talk to who have used these, gave a similar report. Invest the time. Do the work. The dividends are worth the effort. After answering the questions, perhaps you will be led to write a full Life Mission Statement. If not, that is fine. It you choose to not take that step, you will still be blessed by this preparatory work.

Life Purpose Preparation Questions

Ground Rules for Answering Questions:

* I will answer with total honesty.
* I will answer in a manner that is intended only for me and the Lord. I will not write in a fashion that implies someone else may read it.
* I will not answer fearing I may sound as if I have too high of an opinion of myself or seeking to sound humble. This could limit me from gaining a fair grasp of my gifts.
* I will remember that everything I have achieved comes as a result of God's blessing. It is not a result of anything in me alone.


1. What are my passions?
2. What have I achieved?
3. What has God blessed in my life?
4. What have I done uncommonly well? (This is an honest evaluation of the things God has blessed in my life.)
5. How am I wired? (Personality type, Leadership style, etc.)
6. Where do I belong? (Groups, organizations, or acquaintances, structured and unstructured.)
7. Which of those places of belonging do I enjoy?
8. What gives me joy?
9. Who am I? (I may use only nouns in my answer.)
10. What spiritual gifts has God given me that have been perfected over time?
11. What do I want to be doing in ten years?
12. What do I want to be doing in twenty years?
13. What do I want to be doing in thirty years?
14. Where am I weak?
15. What part of my current work do I relish?
16. What part of my current work do I dread?
17. What energizes me?
18. What drains me?
19. What about my current ministry/job makes me feel trapped?
20. What are the "shoulds" that have trailed me in my life?
21. How do my past successes fit into the future?
22. How do my past failures fit into my future?
23. What would I list as my life's goals? How have they changed over the years?
24. What things am I committed to?
25. What people am I committed to in a fashion that transcends this process?
26. What is going on inside of me when I say or feel: I cannot keep on living like this?
27. When do I feel "out of control?"
28. How does what I do or desire fit into the "big picture?" (i.e., The Kingdom of God)
29. What subjects would I like to study, not for a degree, but to improve myself?
30. Am I missing anything in my life that is important to me?
31. What am I willing to die for?
32. What realistic changes can I make?
33. Where is it that I feel God is leading me?
34. How do I wish to be remembered?
35. If married, how does being a good husband/wife influence this process?
36. If a parent, how does being a good father/mother and mentoring your children play into this process?

Finding Your Purpose - Part 1: Questions for Reflection

Have you ever been in an emotional slump? By that I mean have you ever been in a period where you just “do not care?” It may have been caused by burn out, by circumstances at work or at home, by a physical or health related issue, it could be seasonally related (he writes in late April with snow on the ground!) or by a relationship that gave you a hit. It really does not matter the cause, the end result was the same. You tanked and you tanked hard.

To that I say, “Been there – done that – bought the t-shirt.”

Over the years I have had to take some time alone just to recharge when those times hit. As I alluded in yesterday’s blog I am nearing that in my personal life now. That is saying a lot for a man who is totally an extrovert by anyone’s definition. What do you do when you face those times where you need to be alone and evaluate your purpose, your direction, or your very existence?

This is the first segment of a two phase offering about how to handle those life directing sorts of queries. As I mentioned in yesterday’s introductory blog, I see this as a two phase event. This first piece is more immediate. It is more here and now. I do not think we can begin to ask and evaluate future oriented things (such as life mission) when we are struggling in the “today.” So, here is my offering to help deal with today. These questions have often helped me evaluate what is transpiring in my life at present.

I cannot fully recall where they came from. As best I remember, I originally got them from a lecture series a decade ago on helping pastors and ministry professionals (don’t you just hate that phrase?!) avoid the dangers of burnout. However, I think they cross all career and life situational lines.

To quote yesterday’s blog, “These have proven very helpful when I am losing my center, drifting from my direction, doubting my gifts, closing in on burnout, been taking a few too many hits, or just plain feeling lousy.”

My prayer is they may do the same for you.

Questions to Ask During Personal Reflection

1. What do I do best?
2. What three decisions are causing me the most stress?
3. What is overwhelming me?
4. What single impassable roadblock has me stumped?
5. If I could only do three things before I die, what would they be? (This differentiates the important from the urgent.)
6. What should I resign from or drop out of?
7. Without procrastinating, ask honestly, what can I postpone?
8. What things on my “to do” list, can someone else do 80% as well? If they can, give it to them.
9. What are the elephants in my schedule? (“If you are Noah and the ark is sinking, look for the elephants first.” - Italian Economist)
10. What three things could I do in the next 90 days that would make a 50% difference?
11. What is my dream?
12. What is my passion?

Finding Your Purpose - Introduction

One question that I am often asked relates to finding one's purpose or "mission" in life. This is a question that I have wrestled with personally in the past. As I have done this, it has come in the form of two steps. In my next two blogs I intend to share some of that process with you.

The first is a periodic review of what is transpiring in my life at present. I will begin by sharing some questions I have asked myself during personal reflection. These have proven very helpful when I am losing my center, drifting from my direction, doubting my gifts, closing in on burnout, been taking a few too many hits, or just plain feeling lousy. (Actually I feel one of those times coming on pretty strongly right about now!)

The second post is of a much larger scale. In this phase I have attempted to do some deep evaluation of myself and my life direction. It addresses questions that lead to potentially drafting a personal mission statement. This is something that should not occur as frequently as the first phase. This is a once a decade (or at least over a wider expanse of time) experience.

If you are in either of those two places I hope the next couple of blogs prove helpful. I will offer an introduction to each where I will share some of my own insights before each set of questions. However, this is an extremely personal process. There is no set formula that works. What works for me may not necessarily work for you. What proves valuable to you may be less than valuable for me. That is okay. Let the Spirit of God guide you. Before each section pray and earnestly ask God for direction and blessing on the process.

If you do indeed attempt this, I encourage you to write it out. My computer was and is one of my best friends during this. Something very "magical" takes place when you take the time to allow thoughts to leave your mind, cross into your fingers and be formulated into written visible images. Do not short circuit the process by saying, "I do not need to write anything down." Especially when it comes to the second part, yes . . . you do need to write it down. Remember it is a process not an event.

Here is a promise I will make to you. No matter where it ends, you will know yourself and your God a little better.

The Danger of Completion

There is a certain joy that comes from the completion of a task. A long distance runner can describe the “runners high” that comes upon completion of a race. Politicians have a sense of elation when an election is complete. A builder loves to see the final stages of a building project. And a writer enjoys the last pages of a book more so than the first.

There is a danger in that feeling. What? You may be saying. Sure. Scripture includes examples of such. David’s sin came after his biggest battles were over. Peter made his mistake of condemning the Gentiles (Galatians 2) after having his work with the Jews reach a success. Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas after agreeing to accompany them on the mission trip. The children of Israel gripped after being delivered from Egypt.

Why does that happen? One reason is that I think we become complacent. We let down our guard. We drop our shield and the enemy sneaks the sword in our heart. I must be on the alert now. I have completed a goal. I must keep my shield in the “ready” position. I must not let the enemy drop me now. The higher you climb the further you fall.

I am very aware that I must be on the alert. A lot of things are taking place in my present ministry location and life. Many good things this summer will come to completion. I had better be on the lookout. The enemy would love to see a fall at this stage in the game.

What goal have you achieved? A new job? A promotion? A new degree? A new home? You fill in your blank. Put up your shield! This could be your most vulnerable moment.

Talking and Listening

It lurks in the shadows, waiting to claim its next victim. That victim will be completely dissected, and unable to do anything to prevent the deadly venom from reaching its fatal mark. Onlookers or passersby may not realize that they are watching a life being destroyed. But destruction is in its wake. Sometimes the devastation is totally silent and painless. At other times it is loud and boisterous with screams of agony and pleas for mercy, pleas which are never granted. The ruin is complete in that it pierces to the heart. The pain is such that no medication can stay its hurt. No one is immune from the attack. It strikes young and old, rich and poor, tall and short. But strike it does.

Who is this fiend? It's the same enemy that mankind has battled since his creation – the judicious use of the tongue. Now, don't tune me out just yet. The words we tune out, may be the very ones we need to hear.

There is a very real danger in any group of people, Christian or not, for the members to judge one another and then to compare notes on their findings. Scripture calls this gossip. We call it being concerned.

There is wise counsel hidden in the words of Frank Clark who said, “Gossip needn't be false to be evil, there’s a lot of truth that shouldn't be passed around.”

The apostle James had some very biting remarks to say about the improper use of the tongue. “Out of the same mouth proceeds praise and cursing. My brothers (and sisters), this should not be!” (James 3:10)

As sad as it is, I have found, as have many others, that the same hand that pats me ON the back on Sunday, may very well be the one that stabs me IN the back on Thursday. (This is Tuesday, so I am safe!)

John Wayne may have been closer to the truth than he realized when he said, “Talk low, talk slow, and don't say too much.”

How much better to sit in silence than to destroy someone's character? How much better to keep quiet than to have to apologize to someone for something we’ve said about them? How much better to be viewed as not having an opinion than to be viewed as one who only has a negative one?

We do the work of Christ a great injustice when we continue to tear down the lives of others with our talk. And we are just as guilty when we listen. Do we have to be so miserable that we drag others into the mire with us? Must we be so lonely that we push others into the same despondency? Should our gloom prevail upon us to cause others to live in the same melancholy state? I think not.

We should examine ourselves. What have we been saying about others? What words have we been giving ears to that otherwise would fall to the ground. Perhaps we have encouraged someone in their sin by just listening. When the next conversation turns sour in this manner, excuse yourself. You, nor I, do not have to sit and listen. Maybe the Holy Spirit will use your exit to convict the other party.

Making a Difference – Part 5: Paul Everett

Do you know how to tell which human beings have issues? They are the ones who are breathing. If we draw oxygen, we have unsettled issues. These issues may be from our past or our present. They may be relational, practical, theoretical, theological, emotional, or any number of other sources, but we all have them.

The fact is that most of us are in denial of this fact. In order to cover this we say things like:
· “Oh, it does not bother me.”
· “I have forgiven them.”
· “Nothing happened.”
· “It is no big deal.”
· “Why do you keep bringing that up?”
· “I do not have issue with them.”
· “I am over it.”

This denial is especially true about past issues of pain that we conveniently suppress rather than do the painful work of dealing with them. In most cases, we need a safe harbor, a trusted person to dredge up those issues, explore them, unpack them and address them head on before we move on.

Paul Everett was that safe harbor for me. Paul is a retired Presbyterian Minister. He served nearly 30 years as the head of the Pittsburgh Experiment a ministry to business professionals in the Pittsburgh area. He attended the church I pastored until his move to the New York area about five years ago.

Paul and I struck up a pretty deep friendship (in my opinion – I think in his as well) in the late 1990s. We would meet for lunch often and talk about lives. It was in one such meeting that some issues from my past just spilled out onto the table. I did not plan to bring them up. It was not calculated. I actually was in great denial about them. But come up they did. Paul did not flinch. He listened and then cared. He shared similar experiences from his own past and over the next few months helped me unpack how all this stuff from my past was affecting my present.

There are some very intense personal issues we addressed that I am not about to put in the public eye for both our sakes, but I will say it changed me for the good. And it changed me forever.

There is another way Paul impacted me. He taught me a lot about prayer by our prayer time together. I have known for many years that prayer was supposed to be a conversation with God. It was one very special lunch with Paul that I became keenly aware of how true that really was.

Most of us who pray find ourselves changing our language. You know, we have to “talk right” when we talk to God. That, in reality, is ridiculous, but we do it just the same. One day over lunch Paul said to me, “Let’s pray about this.” And he just started to talk to God. He did not bow his head. He did not fold his hands. He did not even close his eyes. In fact he continued to look steadfastly into my eyes. This was one of the most intense prayer moments I had ever experienced.

It would be wonderful if it ended there, but it did not. As we were praying, remember to an outsider it looked no different than any normal conversation, our server came over and asked us if she could refill our coffee. Paul said, “Yes, and we need a bit more cream too please. Thank you very much.” Without so much as batting an eyelash he looked back at me and continued our prayer, picking up right where he left off, the same as if it had been any normal conversation.

You know what I learned that day . . . IT WAS a normal conversation. We were conversing with God just as you would talk to anyone. My prayer life has not been the same from that day to this. I have done that very same thing in Bible studies, with individuals, with family, with friends, and even with an entire congregation of people.

As I look back over the last years, I am more self aware, more in tune with my weaknesses and more accepting of others weaknesses due to the long conversations I had with Paul. He is the most recent person in my list of folks who made a difference. But make no mistake; he made a profound difference in my life.

Making a Difference – Part 4: Betty Brown

People who make a difference in our lives come in many shapes and sizes. Betty Brown was about 5’2” tall. She was about 45 or 50 when I first met her.

In 1976 my wife and I moved from our home in North Carolina to Chattanooga, Tennessee where I was preparing to complete the schooling which would lead to my ministry field. I had resigned my job with the Federal Reserve Bank in Charlotte and had taken a job during the summer as the groundskeeper for a Presbyterian Church in the area. On rainy days, there was inside maintenance work that I was able to do. As the fall was approaching I was aware that job was about to end, and I needed to secure another part time position during the school year.

The church had a fairly large campus and one of their ministries was a preschool and kindergarten. They also offered an after school program to assist parents with those special needs. I was 22 at the time. That is when I met Betty Brown. Mrs. Brown, as I called her, was the director of the preschool, kindergarten, etc. I would often strike up a conversation with her as I was working around the church campus.

There was a man a few years older than me named David who served as a teacher in the after school class and assisted in general in the summer with all classes. She spoke very highly of him all summer. As the fall approached, David announced he had secured a full time teaching job and would be leaving. Mrs. Brown stopped in the hallway one rainy day where I was refinishing some doors in the facility. The topic of David's resignation came up and she shared with me how concerned she was about replacing him. She talked about how talented he was and how the children all loved him. The conversation ended and she went to her office. I went back to my work.

I had been in prayer as I worked about my job need for the fall which would be upon us in a week or so. About 5 minutes after Mrs. Brown left me, it was as if I heard the voice of God, not literally however, say, “There is your job. Go get it.” I laid down my tools walked down the hallway and into her office.

My memory is a bit sketchy here about specific details but I do know that I asked her about the job. She asked me to give her a day or so to think about it. I was fine with that, and went back to my work. A day or so later, she approached me and offered me the job starting when the one I was on ended.

Thus began a growing experience for me. Why she was willing to take a chance with me I am not sure. But I will always be grateful. You see, Mrs. Brown was my first female boss. She has proven over the years to be one of the best supervisors I have ever had. She was fair. She expected you to work. She was supportive of her employees. She treated Kay and me like family. On more than one occasion we would house sit for her and her husband while they were out of town.

I was employed in that preschool until my wife became pregnant with our first daughter and I had to move to full time employment. I developed some relationships with kids and their parents that affect me still today in my memory.

I learned quite a bit from Mrs. Brown. She had a quiet way about her of helping this young aspiring minister to see the world through different eyes. There were many teachable moments between Mrs. Brown and me. Maybe it was partly that she was about the age of my mother, who had died a few months earlier, but she was able to get me to see things in a new light and evaluate things that needed evaluating. She helped begin the process of easing me out of my rigidity in many areas of life. But the thing she did that most impacted me was that she believed in me, when I am not really sure I had ever given her any real reason to do so.

Mrs. Brown is yet another person who made a difference in my life. She believed in me. She took a chance with me.

That leads me to two questions:

1. Who has believed in you in the past and made a difference? Perhaps, like me, this belief was unsupported, but it was still there and was instrumental in your life.
2. Who is in your life now, or who will come across your path that you should believe in? Where is your time to make a difference?

Making a Difference – Part 3: Ted Martens

Training for ministry is a lot more rigorous than most folks realize. After the usual college track, there is a three year master’s degree program with the various aspects of theological and language training. (Unfortunately, most pastors never use their language training I have learned.) It can be very taxing on both home and personal life. There are shining moments in the course of this training that make it all worthwhile. This is one of those moments.

A part of this training is the taking of courses in Homiletics. (That is just a fancy way of saying “preaching classes.”) There are usually two semesters of those courses. In my seminary they required those two, but they also required one additional class your final year entitled “Senior Homiletics: Preaching the Old Testament.” That would give me one entire semester more training in this field than what many seminaries require. My seminary’s thinking was that if you are a bad preacher, and/or do not handle Scripture well, it does not matter how good you are with other duties; no one will be there in the first place.

I had a slightly different direction in training than most other men and women. I was a speech communications major in college in preparation for my seminary. The major was one selected by me to prepare me for ministry before seminary. (This came after years of searching for direction. I had dabbled in Political Science, Elementary Education, Finance, and even thought about Medicine and law enforcement before finally hearing what God was really telling me. I was 25 when I finished college and 30 when I completed seminary. But I digress . . .) My college major required two semesters of Homiletics before I ever hit seminary. So I ended up with five semesters of preaching in college and seminary. (Some folks are just not too bright and have to have it crammed into them!)

My college homiletics professor was a speech teacher named Ted Martens. Ted had his PhD from Ohio University. He was a good speech teacher, but that was not his real strength. His real strength was his love of the Scriptures and his passion for seeing it handled and preached well.

Ted was not the most fun teacher. He could be fun, but he likewise could be, and often was, harsh in his criticisms following a sermon in class. He was aware of it and would say, “I wish I was more like,” and he would give the name of another professor who was jovial and would always find something good to say about the speech, even if it stunk. “But I am not,” he would add. I am me. It is not personal. I do not dislike you. I just want to help you become all you can and should be. If you work hard, I will work just as hard beside you.” And he did, as you will read in a moment.

I was warned by other students what he was like, but never one to back down from a challenge, I elected his class section. I will never forget the ending of my first sermon in class.

Dr. Ted Martens was a stickler in training folks to do expository/Biblical preaching. His rationale was that if you could do that type sermon, which is by far the hardest to do, you could do anything else. In hindsight, he has proven right in my life. Due to that bias however, he would hammer into you a proper handling of the Biblical text until you were blue in the face. He was relentless on doing your exegetical work and preparation so you had something worthwhile to say on Sunday. He would say things like “Length is not a problem if you are good.” Or “If folks are coming to hear you preach on Sunday, in God’s name be sure you make it worth their while!” “They do not need a news report; they need to hear from God!” That sort of stuff makes an impact upon you.

In homiletics class your sermons are only 12-15 minutes in length so you can hear two folks and still have time to discuss and evaluate. In these classes everyone filled out an evaluation on everyone else when they preached. There was a specific form, so you knew what to look for, along with a space for general comments. In a class of 15 you would get 15 evaluations, when you include the professors. A class with preaching played out like this:

· Preacher #1
· Everyone finalizes their written comments
· Preacher #2
· Everyone finalizes their written comments
· Class discussion of #1
· Class discussion of #2

It could be a pretty daunting, intimidating and painful experience.

My first sermon was from James 2:14-25 on faith and works. To be quite blunt . . . I sucked. I sucked big time.

I was the second preacher so I should have been discussed second (see above). After completing my sermon, the silence seemed an eternity! I waited while Dr. Martens pencil went feverishly. The entire class started to get edgy. After what seemed like forever, Dr. Martens said, “Terry Mann, I’ve got you! Starting at verse one, walk me through the argument of the chapter.” I almost wet myself! My worst fear was about to materialize. I stuttered and stammered and tried to do what he requested. At one point he said, “Verse 9? What are you doing there? What happened to 2-8?” The rest of the class saw blood . . . mine. I was swimming in a shark feeding frenzy and I was the main course! Their thinking was probably, if we let him have it, we spare ourselves.” It was a painful 20 minutes. So much so, that the other preacher got about 30 seconds at the end of the class.

Dr. Martens handed me my evaluation at the end of class and said “See me before you leave.”

I thought. “Oh great! He is going to tell me to go back to banking! Leave the preaching for those who are called and good at it.”

His private comments to me were pretty simple. “Terry, you have good skills. You are going to be a great preacher. Do not let this get you down.” I get tears in my eyes even today when I think of how powerful those words were for me when I really needed them.

The grade on it was a “C.” C for “Christ is gracious and this grade is undeserved,” if you get my point?

In the two week lecture break between the classes first and second sermons, I heard Dr. Martens tell us several times, “If you are stuck in your preparation, call me. Here is my home phone number. I will help you. Now, don’t you wait until the last minute, I will not have much patience then.” I must admit, I wondered if he really meant that, but he did give us his home phone number.

As I prepared for my second opportunity on a Tuesday, I was struggling a Sunday afternoon into the night remembering my last experience. I finally got desperate, and thought. “I am going to give Dr. Martens a call. It cannot be worse than what happened last time.” I dialed his home phone around 9:00 p.m.. One of his children answered. I asked for him, and nervously waited as he came to the phone.

“Dr. Martens, this is Terry Mann. I am in your 9:00 a.m. Tuesday – Thursday Homiletics class.”

“Hi Terry. I know who you are.”

“I am scheduled to preach this Tuesday and I am having a rough time.”

“Just a minute Terry, let me get my Bible and we will talk . . . now, what passage are you preaching from?”

“Exodus 2.”

“Okay, let’s go through this together.”

The next 20 minutes changed my life. He helped me learn how to walk through a passage of Scripture asking and answering questions. He helped me get my Big Idea, and breakdown the passage. Then he said, “Does that help?”

I replied, “Yes sir.”

“Good. Thanks for calling. Get me a good sermon from that passage for Tuesday. I look forward to hearing it.”

Dr. Ted Martens did more for my Bible study than any class I have ever taken in any location. He made me believe it was the priority of my ministry. He sold me on the fact that people did not need to hear what I thought; they needed to hear what God thought.

In those two separate twenty minute encounters, Dr. Martens had a bigger impact on my preaching that he, or you, will ever know. He made a difference. He made a difference that is evident in every sermon and every talk anyone hears me deliver to this day. Ted Martens, another person who really was “making a difference.”

By the way, my second sermon . . . I got an “A”

Making a Difference – Part 2: Richard Horn

My son’s name is Richard Lee Mann. Lee is a family tradition. The oldest male for several generations has received the middle name of “Lee.” Richard’s first name however carries a bit more significance. This blog is about that name and the significance of it.

Mentors. We don’t get these individuals in our life by the bushel full. They come along infrequently and often without warning. Richard Horn is the first man in my life that I would call a mentor. He had as strong an impact upon me as anyone in the field of ministry. His impact was so significant, that my son is named for him.

I will never forget my first encounter with Richard Horn. The church I attended following my father’s dramatic conversion saw the pastor resign and move to another city and begin a new ministry. The pastor who left was the man who preached the message God used to change my Dad’s life. So his resignation was no small deal. I even dated this man’s daughter for one summer. I was about 18 at this time and starting to struggle to find my way in the world.

The church went many months without a pastor, until they called Richard Horn as the new pastor. I was at work and missed his first Sunday. His second week he came up leaned over, shook my hand and said, “Richard Horn . . .” in a manner that implied he was giving you his name asking to hear yours in return. The amazing thing is he did the same thing every time he met you until he knew your name. In a church with over 700 on Sunday morning each week, he quickly learned every name. I have to admit, however, that I thought he was a little strange in that manner of learning names. In the end, he was right, and I was wrong.

Richard Horn was a very interesting fellow. He was my Dad’s age, similar to my Dad in many ways, but so unlike my own father in many others. He lived a life of faith the entire time I knew him. He is still pastoring in the northeast area of Georgia, last I heard.

My early memories of Richard were interesting. He had some very unorthodox methods of getting folks attention and laying out clear expectations as a leader. A couple stories will help here.

Incident #1 – My home church had a bad reputation before Richard Horn came. Okay, that sounds vague so let me clear it up a bit. I mentioned earlier the resignation of the pastor who was instrumental in my Dad coming to faith. He was only at the church for 3-1/2 years. I soon learned that was typical. The pastoral tenures were brief. I did not learn exactly why until later.


There were several men in our church who had a reputation for chasing off pastors who did not do their bidding. They would harass the family, and who knows what else. Richard Horn had been duly warned. Richard was not a brash person. He was actually pretty humble as an individual when you knew him. But this one got him.

After he had been there for about six months to a year, the activity started in his home. Then came the fateful showdown. I will never forget the Sunday morning of the climax. After the worship service was over, instead of pronouncing a benediction or giving a closing blessing and prayer, Richard had everyone sit down. (My memory may be a bit sketchy on the details, but the general story is very accurate.) After everyone was seated he said something to this effect:

“I was told when I came here that there were some men who would try to run the church and would harass my family, or whatever it took to be in control. Those men have now started in on me and my family. Now, I want you to listen very carefully to me. You think you are anonymous. But you are cowards. I know who you are. You have called my wife while I was not home. If you continue to call my home and harass my family, you will get what you want. I will resign this church. I will then come to your house and beat you with my fist. Do you hear me? I do not know what you have had before, but you have a man in this pulpit now. You will not . . . I repeat . . . you will not treat my family like that! Now stand up and let’s go home.”

With that he walked out without a word. The church stood stunned. The calls stopped and he stayed as pastor of the church for 20 years.

Incident #2 – Teenagers have been known to be a little unruly in church. That is no secret. In our church the teens would sit in the balcony away from their parents to . . . well whatever, but not listen to the message.

One Sunday evening, they were a little bit too loud. Richard, as he had in the past said, “Young men and women in the balcony, you are being a little loud and disturbing those who are trying to listen.” They were so loud in fact that they did not hear him. Now remember, there were about 350 or so in attendance on Sunday evenings.

After several attempts to get their attention, he stood ON TOP of the pulpit waved his arms and yelled, “High O Silver!!” Believe me; he had everyone’s full attention now! The teens looked at him. He said, “Now that I have your attention, young people, you are disturbing the folks trying to listen. Please be quiet.”

They did. And so did everyone else!

Incident #3 – Our church was a typical southern church. We had an hour service on Sunday morning, a 90 minute service on Sunday evening, and an hour long service (called a prayer meeting, although I never understood why) on Wednesday evening.

One Sunday evening in the summer, it was a bit warm, folks were sort of listening to the message, sort of not. Now Richard was a good preacher, so it is not as if he was bad. I was sitting about 1/4 back on the left of the three sections, and was also guilty of not giving it 100% attention.

All at once, without warning, he said “You aren’t listening, I'm going home.”

With that, he closed his Bible, walked out the side door, got in his car and drove off. His wife was still seated. (They came to church in separate cars each week so he could arrive early.) We all sat stunned. The windows were open and all 300 of us heard the car start up and heard him drive off. We slowly closed our Bibles, and walked out.

Believe me when I tell you that the next week everyone was listening!

Something about Richard won me over. He loved his church and cared for them like no pastor I have known since.

Every funeral director in the area knew him. Every nurse, and most doctors, at the hospital knew him. He cared and would visit anyone.

He showed me a lot about ministry, and much of it was intentional. During a trip home while in seminary, Richard invited me to go with him to a funeral home to meet with a family at the first viewing upon the death of their mother. In the car ride over he said, “Terry, Do not feel any pressure to say anything. Most pastors say way too much in these situations. I have learned they just are glad you are here and care. Simply say, ‘You have my sympathy.’ Don’t quote the Bible or offer any advice. Just care and show that you do.”

And believe me, he cared and everyone knew it was real!! They loved the man who stayed longer than anyone in the church’s history.

I used the word mentor to describe this man earlier. That is a strange way to put it actually. The most accurate wording would be to call him a “reluctant mentor.” He often reminded me not to put him on any pedestal. He said, “Terry, men will fail you. Jesus will not.”

Richard Horn performed the marriage of my wife and me which included an overnight stay out of town three hours away. He refused any honorarium or reimbursement. He simply said, “Terry, I am your pastor. This is part of being your pastor.”

That affected me. To this day, I will not accept honorariums for a wedding from any persons who belong to my church.

Richard impacted my life in ways that are still bearing fruit. I doubt he would ever believe me if I told him. I know, several times I tried. He made a difference in my life and the life of everyone I will ever touch in ministry owes him a huge debt.

Making a Difference - Part 1: Mr. Fain

Have you ever known anyone who has always been old? That is the way Clarence Fain was for me. He always had white hair, a soft voice, a mind full of wisdom that comes from years on earth, and the respect of everyone who knew him.

Actually, it feels a bit blasphemous to even write the name Clarence in front of the name Fain. He was Mr. Fain to me, to my Dad, to everyone who knew him. Simply put, Mr. Fain, more so than any other human being, is responsible for the direction of my life. He had more direct and indirect impact upon me than any blog could do justice. But I will at least try to give you a taste.

Mr. Fain was the wisest man I have ever known. Case closed. I have rubbed shoulders with PhD’s of every stripe. I sat in my own doctoral study classes and wrote my own dissertation, but I have never in all my 50 years met anyone as wise as Mr. Fain. To really grasp this, you have to understand that Mr. Fain quit school in the 6th grade to help his family by getting a job in the mill in the town where he lived.

Mr. Fain was an elder in the local church. He taught an adult Bible class everyone wanted to attend. He could make the Bible come alive. All of this while speaking with a voice that never got above a whisper . . . literally. It is amazing to think about this even to this day.

I did not grow up in a Christian home . . . at least not until the age of 14. My home had Christian influences, but it was by no means Christian. My father was an alcoholic in every sense of the word in my early years. At times he could be abusive. Looking back, my Dad would have been in jail, had we lived in the year 2005 not the year 1965. I am not putting my Dad down. He and I had several heart to heart talks about these very issues when I became an adult. Most, if not all of these encounters, have only been shared with one or two people in my life. My Dad and I made peace and moved on, many, many years before his death in December 1999. However, it is no secret to those acquainted with my family, that he was a man controlled by an outside substance. Most who knew him had probably given up on him. Mr. Fain had not.

Although my Dad had known Mr. Fain long before I remember, I was 14 years old when I recall my first and biggest encounter with him.

In those days, my Mom worked the 3-11 shift at a hosiery mill in Kannapolis, NC. My Dad worked 7-3 as a painter. Consequently, my four brothers and I would be at home with my Dad in our two bedroom home. Or at least, that was the way it should have been. Dad would go off and leave us alone often. Now, I was old enough to be in charge, and my younger brothers were 12, 11, 9 and 8 so it is not like we were tiny children. But my Dad’s issues probably put us at risk on some level.

It was during those days that Mr. Fain made a telephone call that would prove to be the first step to changing my life, as well as the life of my Dad.

The church had just called a new pastor about six months earlier and Mr. Fain saw this as the opportunity to reach out – once again – to Robert Mann, my Dad. He called and made an appointment to stop by on a Thursday evening so my Dad could meet the new pastor.

When they arrived, my Dad was well under the influence of alcohol. My Dad never drank liquor. He drank beer . . . lots of beer. He drank it from quart bottles. He would later tell me, “Terry, I was not an alcoholic; I was a sorry old drunk.”

As best my memory serves me, my Dad passed out while Mr. Fain and the pastor, Dolph Robinson, were visiting. I came into the room. When I saw two men sitting on the sofa wearing suits, I assumed they were insurance salesmen, since insurance was sold that way in those days, and that had happened before. I was 14 at the time and said, “This is the man I am supposed to respect. Yeah, right,” and promptly walked from the room so the two men could excuse themselves.

The following Monday was the day that Mr. Fain’s character really shown through. He called my Dad on the phone and said, “Robert, the visit did not go well last week, so we would like to stop by again.” The next Thursday they came by and my Dad was totally sober. He was an alcoholic, but he was not stupid. My Dad was actually, quite intelligent even if uneducated.

The men visited and invited my Dad to bring my Mom and his five sons to church. He agreed. I later learned from him, that he was embarrassed about the previous incident and it was his way of being even. “I will come to your church, we will be even, and you will leave me alone,” was his thinking.

It was in this worship meeting that our home life changed. At the end of the worship the pastor invited anyone who felt they should, to come forward to receive Christ. My Dad went forward, and our home life would never . . . I repeat, never be the same. It began the path that led me to my education, my ministry, my entire life change. All because of Mr. Fain.

While my wife and I were dating, we would go to this man’s house to ask him Bible questions. “Will there really be blood to the horse’s bridle in the last day?” “Where did Cain get his wife?” The usual fare for two young folks, but he was ever patient with us.

Mr. Fain is one of the three folks I sought advice from when I was deciding to leave the banking field and move into training for ministry. Mr. Fain would always offer words of encouragement to me when I came home to visit. He always reminded me to be faithful in my service to the Lord.

This blog series is entitled, Making a Difference. In my life, when I talk about someone who made a difference, all I need to do is mention the name Clarence Fain.

Making a Difference - Introduction

Last night I was watching a few minutes on CNN regarding the passing of Pope John Paul II. Commentators were mentioning the various factors which made him so popular. So popular in fact, that folks would stand in line for 24 hours to view his body. Among the facets mentioned were that so many felt he had made a difference in their lives. That got me to thinking. I began to think of the folks in my past who made a difference in my life.

On February 27, 2005 I posted a blog about a couple of individuals who had an impact on my life. That blog was entitled Lois, Kenneth & Rusty. In that blog I spoke of Lois Reed, Kenneth Munday, and Rusty Hawks. Every word I wrote was true. However, when I think of a more comprehensive list of people who have impacted me, the list takes on even broader proportions.

The next few days I am going to write about some of those folks. I want you to get to know Clarence Fain, Richard Horn, Ted Martens, Betty Brown and Paul Everett. My desire is, on some level, to make them live for you. I want you to see their face, hear their voice and feel the passion in them that caused them to have such a profound impact upon me. There is one common denominator. In every case, they have little or no idea of the level of influence each of them had in my life. My hope and prayer is that God blesses and rewards them for their faithfulness.

As I prepare to write this series of blogs, now may be a good time for you to stop and evaluate the people in your life on which you have an influence. There are some you know. As with the individuals mentioned above, you may be having an influence on someone and not even be aware that you are.

Significance

A tombstone in Tombstone, Arizona (no kidding) reads:

“Here lies Lester Moore,
Four slugs from a 44
No less, No more”

Now isn’t that one of our fears? That we would be here, gone and nothing but a joke would remain. We laugh about that, but in reality, we want our lives to have had some significance when we are gone. If we are honest, there are many reading this blog who feel the years remaining to make a difference slipping away. I am 50 years old! Tell me about it!

The purpose of this blog is to give you some good and hopeful news. First a little background.

In the mid 90s, while in my doctoral studies, I took a course in human development. I expected it to be a good class. Boy was I wrong. It was incredible. In many respects it rocked my world. The field of study in human development is actually a relatively young field as far as fields of study in sociology are concerned. Human development studies in many respects followed the Baby Boomer generation. You can trace the origin of many Christian ministries back to the era when many of these studies were conducted.

Primary studies were done originally on children and adolescents or the ages from birth to 18. It was later changed to the age of 22. The reason there was a lot of time, money and energy spent on these ages was that the overriding belief was that these were the years when individuals change. This is true physically. Which of us has not had a niece or nephew we have not seen in some time and said, “My how you have changed!” It is outside and visible. We can see the changes clearly. The incorrect assumption was that the internal changes paralleled the external. We used to believe that the IQ peaked at age 18. (Later this was changed to age 22 as I said.) So we crammed 11,000 hours of education into them. We were trying to get them while they were hot. Churches bought into the same thing.

After sociologists had studied children and teens, they decided to study adults. After all that is all that was left, but we knew the changes were minimal, because you did not see much change on the outside. A good phrase for adult social development during this pre-study time frame would be “smooth sailing.” You are stable now. That is how we used to teach it. We now know that is no longer true.

What they found was alarming. In reality, the adult learner usually learns more and does better. A major reason for this was that the adult has life experience into which they can assimilate and/or filter the information. How many of us know adults who went back to school and were the best student in their class? Adults are going through more changes than we ever thought possible. It is just not visible like it is with a child. It is internal, emotional, mental and spiritual.

There were two key pieces of information that came from the studies.

1. Your peak years of productivity do not hit until around 45!

2. What you will contribute to society, your legacy as it were, you do not even begin until you are beyond 45!

Did you read that correctly? Yes, you did. Read it again. Your key life contributions do not begin until you are beyond the age of 45. Some of you should feel very hopeful about now.

As you read that, we must remember we live in an age of the anomaly. We live in the era of entertainment and athletics where there are many high profile folks getting famous while young and beautiful or in their athletic prime. These folks live off that glory the remainder of their life. Many spend thousands of dollars in cosmetic surgery trying to keep that youthful look. But these folks are by far the exception, both in our day and in human history in general. We will always have the Alexander the Greats who did everything in less than 35 years. But for most of us, that just is not the case. Most of us spend the first half of our life preparing for what we ultimately will accomplish.

That leads me to a couple quick comments:

You have a purpose. You, my friend, are no accident! The first word after God’s creation of you was not, “Oops!” Do you know your life’s mission? Work at it. If not, determine it and invest your life in it.

Do not give up. It is never too late! Ben Franklin, Franklin Roosevelt, George Washington Carver, Abraham Lincoln, Lee Iacocca, Martin Luther King, Jr. and on and on the list goes kept at it until they succeeded in their legacy.

God is not through with you. Are you breathing? Good. Take another breath and remember God is not through with you yet! Roll up your sleeves, determine what you should be about and be about it!

You have significance. There is only one you. There is a contribution to humanity that only you can make, no one else can make it.

So, let’s get on with it!

One Thing

A few years back, I rented the video City Slickers. If you recall, the movie is about an eastern business executive who is tired. He is tired of his family. He is tired of his job. He is tired of the rat race. He is just plain tired of his life.

This man, played by Billy Crystal, is influenced by some friends to go to the western United States with them to a “dude ranch,” where they would just get away from it all for a few months by participating in a cattle drive. I know this sounds ridiculous but, the idea was that you need a break, and this is a great way to get just that. Leave it to Hollywood. His ideas included change of a more drastic nature, but after some prodding from his wife, he acquiesces and goes with his friends. This is where the plot of the movie begins to take off.

The primary conflict in the play is between the main character and the only REAL cowboy on the drive. This cowboy, played by Jack Palance, was a mountain of a man, with enough physical strength to keep these city boys shaking in their boots. Everything he does is taken to mean he has either killed or mangled someone.

As the movie progresses this cowboy and the business executive, develop a strange kind of love/hate friendship. The “city slicker,” begins to probe into the inner reaches of the cowboy and Palance tells of the one love of his life that he lost. Crystal eventually gets this cowboy to share his “secret of life and happiness.”

That secret: “Just one thing.”

I know . . . it confused Crystal's character for a while as well. But it finally came to mean: Find the one thing that is important to you and cling to it, cherish it, care for it and love it with all of your being.

In typical screenplay fashion, the cowboy dies and Crystal is left to figure out the above fact. After a brush with death, the city slicker discovers that when he was about to die, the important thing to him was his wife and children. That's not bad for the movie industry.

I have often asked myself, “Why do we not realize what we really care about until we are removed from it?” As I sat 500 miles from my family, a few years back, a few incidents took place that reminded me how precious they were to me. Everyone around me noticed it. But should they be my “one thing?”

I love my ministry. But should it be my “one thing?”

There are people I truly love and care for. We all have folks we love and care for. But should they be our “one thing?”

Scripture says something similar to the fictional cowboy's lines only there is a slight change. In Matthew 22:37-38 we read “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, and all of your soul, and all of your mind.” Jesus couples that with loving your neighbor as yourself. Loving God should be our “one thing.” It then affects all the other “things” and people in our life.

You may already get my point . . . but if not here it is: If the Lord is your ONE THING, all of the other “things” do not have any trouble with their place. The reason is simple. If the Lord is given first place, He will never have you do anything to harm the other “places.”

Timing is Everything

A day or so ago, I read an article that amazed me. It seems that in 1998 Congress demanded a study entitled Signposts in Cyberspace that would detail Internet traffic, web addresses, email usage, etc. Look at the second sentence again, that was in 1998. The Internet was a totally different animal in 1998 than it is in 2005. Most of us were on the Net then, but no where near the way we use it now. Shoot, blogs such as this were only a dream then . . . if that! The final report is just what you would expect from a government report. It is long . . . 283 pages of stuff.

Okay, here is the kicker, and you knew there would be one; the report was just turned in! After seven years!! There is a different president now than there was at that time, and the new president has been reelected. It has taken two presidential administrations to get this work accomplished.

During the intervening years web addresses have grown from 2.2 million to 65 million. In 1998 most of us had no idea what it meant to “google.” And if someone told you to Monster your resume, you would probably look at him with a tilt of your head. My, how things have changed.

When you read that you have to realize that Internet report would have been received so much differently seven years ago. Timing indeed is everything.

Are there issues in your life where you wish God would act . . . NOW!! Yeah, me too. I have a few things (one or two really big ones) where yesterday is late in my mind. But, God is not rushing to act. He is actually taking His own sweet time it appears.

I have to remind myself, that His timing is perfect. It actually is everything. If God wanted me to have those things I wait for, I would have them. He is fully in charge and will answer those deep desires of my heart in his timing. I need to trust in that and wait on Him to work things in His timing. Timing is indeed everything.

Death of a Pope

Before I write another word, let me get this out in the open. I am not Catholic and have never been Catholic. I have no axe to grind with the Catholic Church. That being said, please read everything here with that in mind.

The election of a Pope does not occur very often. I recall two of them in my lifetime. History says that there have been five Pontiffs in my years on earth. I do not recall the elections in 1958 and 1963. I do recall 1978 when the present Pope came into power. I remember the sense of tragedy felt by my friends in the Roman Catholic Church when Pope John Paul I died just thirty days after taking office. It was in that aftermath that Pope John Paul II assumed the office of the papacy. It is apparent that the man has had a tremendous impact on folks worldwide.

However, I would be out of line if I did not mention that I am not aware of a great amount of his work. The simple reason is, as stated above, I am not a Catholic and have put no more import in his words than I would the words of the leader of any Christian denomination. And, to be totally honest, I do not listen all that closely to the statements made by leaders of most Protestant denominations. It probably is a fault of mine, but I see myself as focusing on my local church and its various connections with little time to read all that denominational leaders are saying. This is not to say I disagree with them. It is to my shame that I see most of what they do as usually irrelevant. My behavior would betray me if I said otherwise.

If you will forgive my weaknesses in that area, I do think there are some lessons I can learn from the now deceased Pope John Paul II.

I should respect those who have gone before me. I thought about calling this “respect for tradition,” but backed off because the word “tradition” is so loaded. I serve a non-traditional church. That does not mean that we are not aware of and respect the two millennia of the church history prior to us and the previous 1,500 years of Jewish history that is foundational for everything we do. I actually make a lot of use of the writings and comments before my time. I do think we must beware the danger of disrespect. We can become so closely focused that we think all that matters is what we are doing and forget what has happened years before we were on the scene. The tremendous work of those ahead of us should be respected.

I have an impact on other human beings. Pope John Paul II has had a tremendous impact on people worldwide in the last 27 years. In many areas he has gone places Popes before him never even attempted. As I watch my Roman Catholic friends mourn in the upcoming days, it is a great reminder of the impact we each have on others around us. Do you realize that you have an impact? Who in your life is observing you? Is it a child? A co-worker? A family member? Someone is watching you. Someone is learning from you how to treat other humans and how to serve God. You do have an impact.

I should make the most of my opportunities. It makes little difference what I think or feel regarding Pope John Paul. I am aware that he sought to make the most of the opportunities that came his way. That appears to be true before and after his election to the Papacy. What a reminder for me and you! We should make the most of the opportunities presented to us as well.

I intend to pray for my Roman Catholic friends in the upcoming days. Among other things, I will pray that they will see the message of Jesus and feel his forgiveness and grace. I will pray that they will grow in, or begin, their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Beginnings

April showers bring May flowers.

As you read that if you said to yourself: “Yeah and we know what May flowers bring . . . Pilgrims.” I'm going to smack you!

“April showers . . .” There is something about that little phrase that makes you want to smile and throw up at the same time. You know it states a fairly consistent meteorological truth; but at the same time you hate to hear its trite sound. This is the month of April. This is the month that signifies the real arrival of spring (not just the one on the calendar.) We fly kites, go on hikes, take walks and start to let the kids play outdoors, but not barefoot yet.

Spring marks a beginning. It is also a transition, a change. Many of us hate change, hate transition, hate everything associated with it. But it is an inescapable fact of life. We simply cannot avoid it, try as we might.

What is changing in your life? If something is, then something is beginning.

Beginning. Sounds cool. A new baby begins life. Newlyweds begin life together. Couples that have been married for many years can begin life anew when the children leave home. (At least that is what I have heard!) Political candidates begin a term of office. Okay, so that last one kind of messed up the flow of this thing. I'm sorry.

Christ is the God to offer new beginnings. He said: “I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:5

What in your life would you like to change? Everyone has something. Perhaps you would like to change your job, your plans, a relationship, or your old habits. New beginnings offer that opportunity. Even unexpected, unplanned or unwanted changes can offer new beginnings.

One day everything will be changed. The old order of things will pass away. But, what about now? Can we not enjoy a taste of that here? Certainly. It is all in the attitude. The Christ that will one day change everything is right now in control of the changes in your life, even the ones you don't like.

Don't let change bring you down. Look on it as a “new beginning.” A chance to start anew. A chance to correct the old mistakes. A chance to really enjoy life as it was meant to be enjoyed. “I am come that they” (His sheep) “might have life, and have it to the full!” John 10:10 Howard Hendricks says that means: “I am come that they might have life, I mean really live!” When was the last time you enjoyed “really living?” Don't blame changes or beginnings. They could be the doorway to your “real life” if you would only stop fighting them.

But what if I blow it again? No problem Christ will let you begin again . . . again.