The Simple Things

So, we went to the Mall of GA on Saturday. It's 13 miles from our house. You know the feeling of realizing that you have made a colossal mistake, and it's about to go down and there's nothing you can do about it. We left at 1:30. We arrived back home at 4:30. That's right. It took us 3 hours to go 13 miles.

Now, the good thing is that we had nothing in particular to do. We had a lazy afternoon planned. The other good thing is that my entire family was together. And maybe the cool thing was that we were in my truck...all six of us. It's a tight squeeze. There's just enough car seatbelts for all of us. 3 car seats in the back, three of us across the front. We were a sight. But we survived.

In fact, we parlayed being by Steak & Shake into a potty break and came out with a strawberry milkshake. My wife had moved approximately 200 feet by the time we came back with the shake. We sat in traffic and just talked and laughed and wondered if we'd run out of gas. We were helpless, but we had each other.

People let the traffic, schedules, and general busy-ness of the holidays get to them. There's no need to. You can't do anything about it. Be thankful you have friends and family. Remember that God is good in traffic and when you're cruising down the interstate at 70 mph. God is good when you have money to buy lots of presents and when you have years you have to cut back. God is good. The traffic will eventually clear out. The busyness will eventually die down. And God will still be good. Don't let it get to you. Be thankful for the simple things, like family and friends and health. And be thankful for the most profound thing -- God is good and He loves you and me.

Movie Surprise

So I saw "Battle: Los Angeles" last night. Surprisingly good. I love a goo alien movie, but it's really about leadership. And I'm a sucker for leadership lessons. Few organizations understand leadership like the Marines, who are the central focus of the movie. If you like aliens and leadership, it's worth a watch.

Slow Down Before You Do Something Stupid

"It is not good to have zeal without knowledge, nor to be hasty and miss the way." Proverbs 19:2

Do you have a wreckless faith? I've probably been accused of that from time to time. I'm kind of like a bull in a china shop when it comes to Jesus, and that's not always good. I've been blessed to have been a Christian for 26 years. I was raised in Church and have tried to follow Jesus all along the way. Sometimes, because I'm so 'used to following Jesus', I'm not as patient as I should be with direction. I have zeal without knowledge. Neither can stand alone. Knowledge comes from the Scriptures and deep times of prayer. Zeal comes from God's urging and Spirit inside you. Knowledge does no good without the motivation to follow God's call. Zeal does no good if it's wreckless and uninformed by God's wisdom.

We are such a busy society, and Christmas is a great reminder of the hustle and bustle in which we all exist. This passage is a reminder to slow down and test our motivations, actions and words against the knowledge of God's Word in the Bible and in our heart through prayer. The right thing at the wrong time or the wrong thing at the right time won't work. If we are patient to lean on Jesus, we can do the right thing, or say the right thing, or even just think the right thing at the right time. When God is leading you to a conversation, a relationship, a job change, a big move, a new direction, and life decision or anything...make sure you don't act hastily. Sometimes we just need to wait for confirmation in prayer, check our motivations with Scripture, or seek Godly counsel from a trusted mentor. Don't run off without knowledge. Then, when you do get the knowledge the decision requires -- run like the wind.

Somebody's Gotta Pay

I love the end of the movie "National Treasure." One of my favorite lines is when the FBI agent asks Ben Gage what he wants for finding the treasure and he says, "I would really, really like to not go to prison." The agent answers, "Somebody's gotta go to prison." In essence, there was a crime that had been committed, and somebody had to pay a price. It reminds me of Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death." Somebody has to pay back sin with a death.

I've started reading Leviticus. It doesn't exactly read like a John Grisham novel. It's a tough read and can be repetitive. However, the message of book in the first few chapters is clear. Sin required a sacrifice. Lambs, goats, bulls and such had to die when people sinned. And they had to be flawless. They had to be the best goats, bulls and lambs.

Listen, I don't know why things are this way. I didn't make up the rules. I do know that sin has made me experience little deaths inside. I've experienced that. And I know I most definitely DO NOT want to have to pay the price for all my sin. I would really, really like to not go to prison, so to speak. But somebody's got to pay.

That's Jesus. Do we really get that? Jesus stepped in and paid the penalty for our sin so we wouldn't have to. Gracious, if I really got that, wouldn't I go all out for Jesus? Wouldn't I give Him everything? Wouldn't I live my life as a thanksgiving offering to Him? I'm not sure we really get it. We say we do, but we live our lives nonchalantly. We didn't have to pay. This Christmas, you'll get lots of gifts you didn't have to pay for. None will compare to this gift of Jesus. Live into that gift.

A Different Kind of Thanksgiving

I went to a Bible Study on Monday night, and one of the things we talked about was the things we are thankful didn't happen. Basically, when we had our heart set on something and just knew it was what we wanted and maybe even what God wanted, but it wasn't in the cards. Later on, we learned that God had a bigger and better plan. On this Thanksgiving week, that really struck a nerve with me. There are a million things I can think of that I'm thankful didn't happen or turn out the way I planned. I thought I'd list a couple. Feel free to leave your own list in the comments. It's sort of like those ol' Unanswered Prayers that Garth Brooks sang about.

I'm thankful...

• I didn't get the daughter I hoped for because all my wild boys are blessings


• I didn't become a pro football player because chances are I wouldn't have the life I have now.


• God didn't listen to me when I tried to convince him that she was the one (multiple times over.) Turns out He knew who "the one" really was for me.


• I didn't decide to go play football at a small college because I'd have missed out on all the friendships I made at UGA.


• My daddy didn't take a job in Jackson, TN he got offered when I was in middle school. I can't imagine having gone to high school anywhere but Palmetto.


• I didn't pursue that music career in Nashville.


• My long-time youth pastor didn't decide to stay at my home church because it gave me the chance to connect with another, new youth pastor. And now I have two men that impacted my life greatly.


• That Jarvis Jones' career at USC didn't work out.


• Planting a church hasn't always gone according to plan because it has humbled me and taught me more than I can imagine.


• That my wife didn't have to work the week she was to bring her grandmother to visit my great aunt in Carrollton, GA.


• Jesus doesn't hold a grudge for all the mistakes I've made.

Be thankful for the things that didn't work out because there just might be a Great, Big God behind the scenes working out something better.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fried Turkey = God's Love

Yesterday our church hosted it's 5th Annual Turkey Fry. You can see the 11 fryers going above. We fried 60 turkeys to give away to residents in the community who could use a helping hand. It's a small gesture, but it's got a big heart behind it.

Our men did a great job frying and volunteers walked from house to house delivering the turkeys with a small card that said, "God Loves You" and explained that this gift was an expression of God's love. Simply put: we're doing this because we love God and God loves you, so we love you, too.

I don't know the lasting impact a turkey fry has. I don't know that anyone's life is dramatically changed. But I know that it's part of a greater story. I believe there is GREAT power in giving God a good name in the community. For years, churches held BBQs and cookouts and sold the food to the community. For years, that worked. People trusted the Church and wanted to help them out by paying for a few BBQ plates. They figured it was a good thing to help the Church raise a little money for their building or mission trip or whatever. People even looked forward to that BBQ every year. That is not the world we live in today.

Today, people outside the church are skeptical of the church, as well they should be. Financial and sexual scandals have rocked the Church. People aren't sure about the Church. Many are convinced that the Church is out to get them. Others are certain the Church does not care for those in need, only wanting to build bigger, fancier buildings. Now, those of us inside the Church know this is hogwash. The world would be a sad place without the Church. The Church is responsible for some of the greatest acts of compassion on the planet. But that's not always the perception. Our Turkey Fry is about changing those perceptions. It's about letting people know that we believe in investing in the community, that God's love is FREE, that it is rooted in selflessness. I know we gave God a good name yesterday. We gave the Church a good name. What can you do...and what can your church do...to give God a good name? It's Thanksgiving week, so maybe you should fry a turkey!

Sad Valley

"He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends." Proverbs 17:9

That was the Proverb this morning for my men's LIFE Group that meets at the Grayson Olde Post Cafe at 7 a.m. on Thursdays (shameless plug - all men, you're invited!). I couldn't help but think of the events this week in Happy Valley. Now, I'm a pretty huge college football fan. One of my first memories of watching a college football game on TV was the Georgia vs. Penn State National Championship game in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 1983. I was almost 6 years old. Joe Paterno won his first national title as the Nittany Lions beat my Dawgs. I'm still not quite over that one. But, I've at least respected how Paterno led his program over the years. Penn State had been an example of doing things the right way for years in college footbal. You have ot know that to understand the backdrop to the story. You might not be a college football fan, but you'd have to be living under a rock to not be aware of the situation at Penn State University and their football program. In short, a former assistant coach was a known child molester and was allowed continued access to the football facility with young boys and, at worst, school officials, including legendary coach, Joe Paterno, helped cover it up through the years, or, at best, certainly didn't do enough to end the terror on these young children and get this man behind bars. I've kind of been gathering my thoughts on it. This Proverb opened it up for me.

Generally, we get most upset when we are offended. We lash out at family or cashiers that offend us. We struggle to cover over offenses in instances in which we are hurt, harmed, offended, or insulted. The Bible says these are the times we should forgive. These are the times we should drop the matter. These are the times we should give grace. Grudges don't help anyone. However, we overlook offenses against others. We turn a blind eye when the poor are marginalized, when ethnic groups (that aren't ours) are offended, or when the vulnerable are taken advantage of. That is because coming to the defense of the weak may cost us relationships, pride, standing in the community, and time and energy we're not sure we have. We often trend the wrong direction. We are quick to respond when we are offended, and look the other way when the weak are. The Bible says that we have this all wrong and backwards. We are to give grace when we are offended, but we are to stand up for the weak and disinfranchised of the world. When someone's actions hurt us, we alone have the power and place to forgive that and move on, and we should. However, when someone's actions harm others, the community, and the organization, we have a moral and Scriptural obligation to do something about it. At it's core, that's what is wrong with the situation in State College, Pennsylvania. Those in authority at Penn State were not willing to risk relationships, jobs, and status for the sake of the weak. And that's how someone that was once a hero becomes a legend no more. And that makes me sad. Sad for our world. Sad for those boys that were victimized. And sad for every Penn State player and fan that are good people. You and I will probably never face a situation like that in our lives. I hope you don't. But there will be times when we are called to NOT cover over an offense against the weak and helpless. Let us stand up for those whom God has called us to defend when the time comes.

The Power We Don't Know We Have

I'm reading through Exodus. Pretty amazing stuff. Exodus 32 is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It shifts a lot of the assumptions we have about God's character. I'll give you the short version. While Moses is up on the mountain getting the 10 commandments from God, his brother, Aaron, leads the Hebrews to make golden calfs to bow down and worship. God catches wind of this (He kind of sees everything), and tells Moses that He's fed up with it, and He's going to wipe those people out and basically start over with him.


In Exodus 32:11-14, Moses replies to God:

11 But Moses asked the Lord his God to show favor to the people. "Lord," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people? You used your great power and mighty hand to bring them out of Egypt. 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out to hurt them. He wanted to kill them in the mountains. He wanted to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn away from your burning
anger. Please take pity on your people. Don't destroy them! 13 "Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel. You made a promise. You took an oath in your name. You said, 'I will make your children after you as many as the stars in the sky. I will give them all of this land I promised them. It will belong to them forever.' "14 Then the Lord took pity on his people. He didn't destroy them as he had said he would.

Moses changed God's mind. Does that blow your mind? It does mind. God loves us, wants to be in a relationship with us and listens to us. God's mind can be changed when we are faithful and we plead our case before him out of righteous motives. God wants to work good for us and in us and through us. God hears us. Sometimes we can start thinking that we don't matter. But we matter immensely. We are game-changers. Be a Moses. Be a game-changer. Our Father is listening to the cries of His people.

Totally

Francis Chan asked a piercing question: When's the last time you depended totally on God?

The truth is, we often use God as a fall-back. Or He's a side-kick to our other best laid plans. It's often God AND. There is no AND in authentic faith. There is something to the stories of the Bible that illustrate this. People often ask, "Why don't we see the miracles they saw in the Bible?" There's probably a lot of answers for that, but one of them is that we have too many 'ANDs".

Are you depending on something along with God in your career, family, marriage, addictions, and struggles? In the first commandment, the Bible says, "You shall have no other gods before me." But, many translations say, "You shall have no other gods before or besides me." Often, it's not that we have something before God, it's just that we have something sitting beside him. When we do that, we limit God's power to do something miraculous in our lives. If we only need God to come through a little, then a little is all we'll get. However, I believe that when we totally depend on Him, we begin to see Him do crazy stuff. We begin to see big God things happening in our lives. When He is our only hope, our only source of strength and our complete source of inspiration, when we are completely surrendered to God and God alone...we are poised for a miracle.

When was the last time you depended totally on God?

The WHY

Still decompressing all the incredible teaching from Catalyst. One of the speakers was Dave Ramsey, who is always fun to listen to. Dave gave a great talk on what matters in life, family, work, faith, and, namely, leadership. He talked about what really matters:

1. People matter.


2. An incredible team and a culture of excellence matters.


3. Slow & steady matters.


4. Financial principles matter.


5. A higher calling matters.

That last one struck an important chord as an important insight came out of that: "When you care about WHY you're doing what you do, then you'll overcome the obstacles you'll face." If the WHY is because of the money or popularity or 'just because' or 'that's the way your parents did it' or the power or whatever...it won't work.

Not everyone has a job that is a calling. But, if the WHY behind the job is that it allows you to make money to do things in your church and community, then you'll be motivated. If the WHY isn't strong enough, real enough, and deep enough, you'll quit at the first sign of a steep hill. WHY are you doing what you do with your kids? WHY are you going to work every day? WHY are you volunteering in the way you are? WHY are you searching for the job you're searching for? WHY? WHY? WHY? If the answer to that question is: "Because God is leading me or has led me this way" then you'll be alright. If the answer is anything else, then find out where God IS leading you, and do it quick.

The Eulogy

Our Conference of our denomination lost an active pastor in the last week. Today was the funeral, and she was on my mind. I thought about her church and how they'd get through this difficult transition. I thought about her family. I thought about her legacy.

It is difficult for all of us in the busy-ness of life, the bills that need to be paid and the errands that need to be run to remember that one day someone will give a eulogy at our funeral. But, if we could remember that, it would change the way we do all the other stuff. No one will talk about how much money we had, how successful we were at business, or how clean we kept the house. They will talk about the type of person you were, how you loved people, how you made others feel.

And they will talk about your relationship with God. If it was rocky, it will be a tough funeral. People will squirm and the pastor will try to come up with creative and nice ways to say that God wasn't really a part of your life. And everyone will leave feeling kind of awkward, with little assurance of where you are. Or, they will talk about how you shined with the light of Jesus. How Christ was the most important thing in your life. And everyone will smile, and they'll imagine how happy you are now living with your Creator. And your family will be so thankful that you had a strong faith. Or it will be something in between.

But...it will be something. We will all have a eulogy spoken over us. What will they say at yours?

Hope for the Hopeless

We had a tragedy at a local church this week. An elderly man committed murder/suicide by killing his sister (in her mid-eighties) and himself in their church arking lot early Sunday morning. He looked like he could have been my grandfather. Just a normal looking guy in our small little corner of the world. Reports describe him as a faithful church member and good man. It was tragic. It doesn't make sense.

It was striking to me because I thought about the people that are part of my church. And it should make you think about the people sitting next to you in yours. Or, even at your office. Oh, no, I don't mean to be afraid. I mean to be loving. There are hurting people in our church pews or auditoriums. There are hurting people in the cubicle next to us. There are people that seem normal that we see at the ball game each week that are aching inside. There are people in line at the grocery store that need a comforting word. There are people we come across in the Post Office that need hope.

The church is not immune to hopelessness and despair. Let us be a people that has our eyes open to the hurting souls of the world. How can you spread cheer today? How can you offer hope? How can you let someone know that they are noticed? Who can you tell that you love them today? There might be someone that needs it, but they might not look like it. Love people. We all need it.

When it hits you in the face

One of the people I was flabbergasted to listen to at Catalyst was Katie Davis. You can learn about her organization at www.amazima.org. She is now 23 years old and the adoptive mother of 14 Ugandan girls. You read that right. 14...FOURTEEN. Yes, she is 23. She adopted her first 3 girls when she was 20. She lives in Uganda and runs an organization that helps over 400 orphans. She beams with the light of Christ.

Do you have listen to someone talk or meet someone and think to yourself, "Man, I think I love Jesus, but do I love Him as much as them?" Katie makes you feel that way. But she inspires you. In her book, Kisses from Katie, she has a quote:

"Some call it courage, others call it foolish. I call it
faith. I choose to get out of the boat."

That's it. That is what faith is all about. Getting out of the boat. That's what this relationship with Jesus is all about. For Katie, that was moving to Uganda and adopting 14 girls. For you, it may mean being a foster parent or adopting one child. It may mean volunteering at your church or school. It may mean starting to tithe, as in, actually giving 10% of your income to God's Church. It may mean taking the first step to mend a fractured relationship. It may mean going back to school. And when you step out of the boat in faith, doing what God is calling you to do, there will be some people who will call it foolish. They are the voices of the world. Some of them might even be family and friends. They are not the voices of God. They are voices that the enemy is using to try and deceive you. There will be some who will slap you on the back and call you a hero. Don't listen to them either...because this isn't about you. Listen to the still, small voice in your heart. The voice of God. The Holy Spirit. He says step out in faith. He says get out of the boat, just like the Apostle Peter stepped out to walk on the water toward Jesus. He says to believe. Do it for that reason and that reason alone. Then you'll find your purpose. Katie has found her spot in the world. What's yours?

One Chance

Still trying to detox from Catalyst a few weeks ago and want to share some of the nuggets from each speaker. Joel Houston from Hillsong shared a powerful quote:

"Remembering that you're going to die is the best way to avoid the trap that you've got something to lose."

You know who said that? The late Steve Jobs. We've all got a limited amount of time on earth for our impact to be shared and felt. We worry about risk and worry about what we might lose if we go out on a limb. But we only get one chance.

I thrive on risk and taking chances, because I want to see God move in mighty ways. How sad it is when the Church forgets how to takes chances, or worse, knows what it looks like but just refuses to do it. Risk for risk's sake is dumb. And, the purpose of life is not to take risk. The power of the statement from Jobs is that we have to understand that we should use every ounce of life we've got to accomplish our personal mission. For those of us that call ourselves children of the Most High God, that means living out His mission.

I recently heard someone say that if you can think about your eulogy and what you want said at it, it would sure help you understand how to live your life. That's essentially the message hear. That eulogy is coming 10, 30, 40, 50 or 70 years from now. Will you have spent every ounce of life you had during your time on earth? I hope so. And I hope there's some risk in there, too.

Personal Responsibility

I'm reading over all these 'follow up' rules in Exodus after God gives His people the 10 commandments. Boy, they are demanding. I don't really understand them all, but I don't have to. I trust God. I understand that things were different then.

But something really sticks out at me. Like this one:

"If a man's bull injures the bull of another an it dies, they are to
sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally.
However, it it was knon that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did
not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and the dead
animal will be his." Exodus 21:35-36

You don't get to shun responsibility. We live in a world where no one wants to be responsible. But we are. We will stand before God as responsible. Parents are responsible for their children. Coaches are responsible for their teams. Leaders are responsible for their organizations. Presidents and CEOs are responsible for their companies. Pastors are responsible for their churches. Pet owners are responsible for their pets. WE. ARE. RESPONSIBLE. You can't get rid of it. So embrace it. Shoulder that responsibility and cross your t's and dot your i's. Be on top of things. This honors God. Irresponsibility brings dishonor to God, particularly if we call ourselves Christians. Irresponsibility is annoying. Responsibility sends a signal of maturity and understanding that the world desperately needs. If the buck stops with you, whether that be for your family, team, or organization...stop the buck. I think it's one of those lessons from God that we've forgotten.

Good Enough?

"Good is the enemy of great." That was how Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, opened his talk. It's funny because a friend of mine was talking about the same quote this morning. It seems a little off, doesn't it. Surely bad is the enemy of great. Maybe 'worst' is the enemy of great, right?

I think Collins is right. Good is the enemy of great. Good convinces us that we're okay. Good tells us to stop trying. Good lies to us that we don't need to strive for something better. Good lies to us and stops us from reaching our fullest potential. We settle for good. Is all you want is for your family to be good? For you business to be good? For your faith to be good? For your impact on the world to be a good one?

You are better than than. You were created for more than than. God created the entire universe, the stars, moon, planets and galaxies. He created every living tree and plant, every animal and every element, and He said that they were good. He created humans...and He said that they were "very good" in Genesis 1:31. Very Good. Not good. Very good. The Hebrew word is "mehode." It means exceedingly, greatly, abundantly, might, force, much. You were created to be exceedingly good, abundantly good, mightily good, forcefully good...greatly good. Don't settle for good in any area of your life. Strive for greatness. Be a great mom. Be a great employee. Be a great parent. Be a great restaurant patron. Be a great driver. Be a great disciple of Jesus.

Richard Bell, veteran college football coach, had a saying:

"Good, better, best.
Never let it rest.
'Til your good is your better,
And your better's your best."

Never. Let. It. Rest.

The Burden Only Leaders Know

I'm still kind of detoxing from Catalyst last week. If you don't know what Catalyst is, it's an awesome Church Leadership conference, and I'm lucky enough to have it in my own back yard. I take a billion notes during the conference, and as kind of my own personal way to go back over some of those notes, I thought I'd take some time over the next week or so share some thoughts with you.

In one of his talks, Andy Stanley talked about a stark reality for leaders: The more successful you are, the less accessible you become. It is a hard reality for some people to take. The problem is that people want to be in a vibrant, thriving, growing church, bank, restaurant, school or business. But, the more it grows, the more the primary leader is going to have to draw back. Simply put, leaders HAVE to figure out a way to balance between these two truths:

• You can't shut it all out


• You can't take it all in

You've got to live somewhere in between. Every leader has to GET this. Every parent, every business owner, every coach and teacher, every boss, every ministry leader. You can't do it all, but you have to do some of it. The problem is picking what to do. How do you do it fair?

Stanley says that fairness ended in the Garden of Eden, and I'm inclined to agree. It won't always be fair. This is especially hard to swallow for Christians. We would all like to believe that our pastor can lead a dynamic ministry, plan out-of-this-world sermons and worship experiences and be available to all his/her members at the drop of a hat. And it simply can't happen. I tell my folks in our membership class that if I come see them in the hospital that they have either just had a baby, or it's really bad. Of course, if they're not pregnant, they really don't want me to be there, then! The truth is that it's not really true, but it's a signal I send to all our members to know that I simply can't be there all the time for everyone, and the models and systems I put in place now have to be ready to take on growth.

The nuance for leaders is to understand what situations need massaging. One student may need some extra attention to get the lesson learned. One player might need 30 minutes after practice a couple times a week to excel. One parishioner might need coffee everyone once in a while to discuss some things. One child might need a hug more often than another. It's the leaders job to pick those situations wisely because they can be crucial for the entire organization, and they keep leaders connected to the 'ground floor' of the organization, no matter how big they get.

Do for one

Awesome day at catalyst. A lot to take away...

-Do for one what you wish you could do fir everyone.

-Choose the disciplined pursuit of greatness.

-Jesus is enough

-Be present

I'm grateful Jesus is present with me and it's always a privilege to be present with 13,000 leaders.

Reckless

They give you tickets for reckless driving, you know. Maybe they should give tickets for reckless driving. I was talking about this Proverb with my Men's Breakfast Group this morning:

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings
healing." Proverbs 12:18

What a passage. We have all spoken recklessly. Maybe our temper got shortened, maybe our buttons got pushed or we got really annoyed. We've all had that happen. The thing about words is that you can never put them back in. You can't take them back. Reckless words represent a dark part of our heart, and when we speak them, the person to whom we say them knows that dark part is there, and it is very difficult for them to look at us the same way again.

The tongue has so much power. Power to pierce -- power to heal. How are the people around you experiencing your words? Are they damaging? Are they nagging? Do they sound like fingernails on a chalkboard? Or...Are your words soothing? Are they healing? Do they bring comfort? I have found that we most often use reckless words with the people we say we love most. It makes no sense, but it's what we do. We take out bad days on those we love. When we do that, we are chipping away at that relationship. The right words do the opposite. They build that relationship. I think words can be reckless in two main ways:

• What we say. The words we use matter. Some words simply shouldn't be spoken. They are ugly and hurtful. No matter what you mean, there are some words or phrases that simply shouldn't come out of our mouths. They are reckless. They're different for different relationships, but we probably know when we've said something that is out of bounds.


• How we say it. Sometimes, simply the tone in our voice says something completely different than the words we speak. We should be careful about how we say things. Is it dripping with sarcasm? Is there a cynical tone? The truth is many folks want remember what we say, but they'll remember how they felt when we said it.

Let our words be healing and not reckless.

Those Who've Gone Before Us

My grandmother's birthday is today. I think she's 95. Really, there's not too much difference between 93 and 97. Once you get to that point, every year is just an accomplishment that you've added one more year to a really large number. She lives in South Florida a long way away, so I don't get to see her much anymore. But I'm grateful for her.

I love listening to stories of old people. When I talk to her now, I want to hear about the past. I want to hear about her life growing up, I want to hear more about my grandfather (who I barely knew), and I want to know what her parents were like. She is my last living grandparent, and every day that passes I know is a gift. Someday soon, a part of my past, my family history, will be gone.

I've found that my generation does not appreciate the past and the generations before us like we should. Every generation thinks they have it all figured out when their in their 30s and 40s. I think in our 50s and 60s we become less sure if we've figured out. In our 70s, we've lived long enough to know that we were wrong when we thought we had it figured out, and in our 80s and 90s, we realize that we were trying to figure out the wrong things. There is too much wisdom in that WWII generation, and it will someday soon be gone. In my lifetime, there will come a day when there is no longer a person alive who was alive during WWII. The world has changed a great deal since then, mostly for the better. However, there so many lessons in that history. So many lessons in those lovely people.

I'm presently reading Exodus, where the Israelites are trudging through the desert for 40 years. People that started that journey at 40 were 80 by the end of it. When God commanded them to "Honor your father and mother," it meant something. Don't go running off without them. Don't forget them and leave them for dead in the desert. Slow down and treasure them. I move pretty fast in my life, but I know I need to slow down and listen a little to the wisdom of the past, especially those in my family. I'll bet you do, too.

A Lasting Memory

The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot." Proverbs 10:7

That was the passage this week for my Men's LIFE Group that meets in Grayson on Thursday mornings. We had a great discussion, and the passage spoke to me so much I keep thinking about it. I think the first thing we think about is the memory we'll leave behind when we're dead and gone. That's really important. If we could just 'get' what it meant to live with the end in mind instead of the here and now, we'd all leave a much better legacy. But people have memories of us now, too. People we have worked with, waitresses who have served us, cashiers that have scanned our Doritos, friends we had in high school, someone we worked out beside at the gym, even our kids before they got on the bus this morning. We have tons of short memories about what we experienced when we were with people. And they have a memory of us.

Are we living in such a way that THAT memory is a blessing? Or do curses fill their mouths when they think of our name? I don't want my name to be rot in the thoughts of those I encounter. I want my name to bring a smile to their face, not because of anything great about me, but because they felt the love of Christ in my presence. The memory will last much longer than the conversation and even our relationships. This passage from God is simply a reminder that how we interact with others matters deeply. We are leaving behind a legacy. We are giving some kind of meaning to our name. Make a good legacy. Make it a strong name. Make it a memory of someone who was righteous and sold-out to Jesus.

162 games, 1 season...1 day

It comes down to 1 day for our Atlanta Braves. Literally, it's all going to go down in a span of 24 hours. If the Braves and Cardinals both win or both lose, we'll hop on a plane for St. Louis and play a do or die game. But it could end tonight. It took 161 games later...and it comes down to one last game. We win, they lose and we go to the playoffs. They win, we lose, the Cardinals go to the playoffs.

Now, I say "we" because I'm a Southerner and Southerners love the Braves. My Papa watched the braves in the 70s and 80s when they flat stunk. But he loved them. He lived to see them win the Division and National League in '91, then died in August '92. I remember that I was the only one in my family that stayed up to watch them against the Pirates in '92 when Sid Bream made his famous home plate slide. I think I had to for Papa. Now, I live in the Atlanta area, and the Braves are a part of my culture. Now it's one game for an entire season.

Have you ever had a day like that? I mean, think about it. Have you ever had a day, heck, a span of three stinkin' hours, that will determine if the last year of your life was successful? Most of us don't do life that way. One dinner usually doesn't define your year as a family. One presentation usually doesn't define your year at your job (though it might). For me, one sermon usually doesn't define the year for my ministry (though it could). Those things tend to be more abstract. If the Braves win and the Cards lose, this last year will have been a success. If they the Cards win and the Braves lose, this last year will have been a disappointment. And one of them will have to lose at some point. It's an interesting thing to think about. I thought about what Chipper and the boys must be thinking about this morning when I got up. 161 games...and it's down to this. One game. 9 innings. 27 outs. 4-5 at bats to change history.

Thankfully, you and I don't have many days like that. But you did have one. You don't remember it? You weren't exactly 'there.' Thousands of years of history had defined humanity and threatened to define it thousands more. One day changed everything -- the day Jesus went to the cross. One chance. A few hours on a cross...to change history. It could have gone differently. Jesus could have refused, could have struck everyone there down, could have called on 10,000 angels to rescue Him. He didn't. He pulled out victory, for us, on that final day. Of course, 3 days later, everything changed again. The savior who had died a gruesome death was alive -- again. It was another of those one days.

Maybe you won't clinch a playoff spot today. Maybe you won't change history. None of us will forgive the sin of the world and claim victory over sin and death. But what might we do in one day? Have you taken a moment to thank God for that one day that changed you? Have you asked Him what you might could do in one day.

Go Braves!
Go Astros! (Sorry, Cardinal fans. Jesus loves you, too. I just don't love your team tonight. If it's any consolation, Stan Musial was my Papa's all-time favorite player. But Stan the Man's not playing tonight, Pujols is, so here's to Albert going 0-4!)

Thank you, Jesus, for that one day!

What's with all this blood?

That was the question I was asking myself as I finished reading through the stories of the plagues over Egypt in Exodus. The first plague turned the Nile to blood. The last plague was the bloodshed of Egyptians and their livestock, and the protective barrier for the people of God was the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. It's a bloody book, probably R rated for violent graphics.

It all goes back to Eden. Remember the serpent? Remember him convincing Adam and Eve to eat the fruit? Remember what God said? The sin of humans caused death to enter the picture. Death. Bloodshed? I wonder if Adam and Eve had even seen blood? They would surely see it now. A whole book later and an entire river was blood. God was right. Death, blood, ugliness, and bleakness had entered the picture because of our sin.

But that is not the end of the story. God always flips the script. It's blood that saves the Hebrews from death in Exodus, it's a sign on their doorpost that they belong to God. And that's what they call in the literary world as 'foreshadowing.' God turned the whole thing around. He's like that. Our sin brought death into the world, and God would use death to make everything right again. The blood of the lambs on the doorpost of the Hebrews was only a snapshot of what God was going to do in Jesus. The blood shed by Jesus would bring forgiveness with it. The death of the Savior would bring life again. If you are like me, you've made your fair share of mistakes, but God has a way of turning our greatest shortcomings and turning them upside down for our good. We brought death and blood into the world, and, yet, the death and blood of Jesus saved us. And his resurrection beat them once and for all.

The blood tells a story. It's a story of redemption. A story of things turning around. A story of how something ugly can become so beautiful. There's a story like that in you if you will let Him turn it around.

It's gonna get worse before it gets better

"You have made us a stench to Pharoah and his officials and have put a sword in their hands to kill us." Exodus 5:21

Those are the words of the Hebrews to Moses after he goes to Pharoah the first time to tell him to let the Hebrews go. They were in slavery. Moses demanded that they be let go so they may worship God. Pharoah not only refused, but made life even more miserable for Israelites. As I read that passage, I thought, "Oh brother, it's going to get worse before it gets better." Often, that's the case. We become so accustomed to the status quo in our lives that we begin to accept it for fear of the pain it will take to break free. The Hebrews got comfortable in slavery. That sounds crazy to us. But, to them it was at least a 'known commodity.' Breaking free would require Pharoah to lash out at them, which they feared would be worse than what they were currently experiencing, and they weren't sure the payoff of life free with God would be worth it. That's because they drastically underestimated how good life with God is. If we really understood it, we'd go through anything to get there. You know, if God is working to get you to a better spot, I want you to know something: it might get worse before it gets better. But the life God has planned for you is worth it. Fight the status quo. Buck the system. Break the chains that are holding you back. You were meant for so much more.

Sick

So, I was a pretty sick puppy this weekend. I had some kind of cousin of strep throat. Got some meds in me, and I'm getting good to go, thanks to the doc. I feel good, but sometimes I get reminded that my energy isn't quite what I want it to be. The sickness is still in there...a little. I want to push on ahead, but I know my body is not quite ready.

Often, we try to run in our faith before we are well. Our lives have had a wound, pain, or the sickness of sin. The Great Doctor brings healing, but sometimes we don't let that healing take root long enough. We only get half-well and start running again, and the wound re-opens or sickness comes back. We end up struggling with the same problems we thought we'd overcome or dealing with the same ol' sin we thought we'd defeated.

My doctor told me that I need to make sure and take my antibiotics for the entire 10 days. There's a reason for that. The important time frame is to get me fully well. Have you sat with God and let Him heal you? Did you get a little touch of grace and start running again before you were made whole? Let the Physician heal you, and make sure and take the time to sit with Him before you get out in rat race again. You need to be well, to be whole for him to use you.

Surprise, surprise!

A couple of weeks ago my wife and I tuned in and watched the movie Country Strong. I had been meaning to watch it for a while. As a side note, Tim McGraw has become a pretty good actor. I like most of the stuff he's done. Anyway, it was deeper and better than I expected, and the ending was very surprising. Movies rarely surprise me at the end. I love it when they do, but it just ended in a way that I didn't see coming.

It's fun when a movie does that; not so much in life. When life doesn't go the way you want it to go or when a situation ends up much differently than you anticipated, it isn't always fun. Life is, invariably, unpredictable. What do you do, then? This is why it's so crucial that our faith is in something, or, rather, someone, who is never changing. Whe life doesn't go the way you imagined, when the world throws you a curveball or when things don't go according to our plan, our hope is in the One who never changes, the One we can count on, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

The truth is that we should expect life to surprise us. Life is full of uncertainties. We're traveling on an uneven landscape. It's just the way it is. But no matter how rocky it gets, you can count on God. He can be trusted. You can be sure of Him. That doesn't mean it will always be smooth sailing. It just means that you'll always have a Captain by your side.

Not Ashamed

We had a Tailgate Sunday this past week where we worship outside, everyone brings a bunch of good food, people grill out and everyone wears their favorite team gear. I wore my Braves hat and shirt. Several people asked me if I was ashamed to wear my UGA gear and wondered why I didn't have it on.

I thought it was a funny comment. Me...ashamed? If you could see my basement, you would know that it is impossible for me to be ashamed to be a Bulldog, no matter how dismal they look on a given Saturday. And, believe me, I've seen some dismal Saturdays recently. I've been to 60 straight games and I'll be at 60 more in a row, Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

But there was another reason I donned my Braves gear instead of my Dawg gear. I never wear my UGA stuff to church. The Deep South is passionate about college football. It's one of my favorite things about living here. I love that sports talk radio shows are talking about football in March. People take it very serious. I don't know many people that love their team more than I love my Dawgs, but it is not worth it for my apparel to get in the way of the message God has given to me. I don't wear UGA stuff at church because I'm representing Christ, and Christ is non-partisan. I think Jesus even loves Gators, Tigers, Jackets, and Volunteers, though I've yet to find the exact verse :)

Some would argue that I'm not being authentic. But I think there's more to it than that. I am being authentic because perceptions matter to me. Even on a fun Sunday, I wouldn't want a fan of a rival team to tune out God because of what I've got on. You think that's outlandish? Then you haven't been to and SEC stadium recently. People care about this stuff...a lot.

It really is about a broader issue. What are we doing to represent Christ the right way? I know I get this wrong a lot, but how we behave in the world is crucial to the Kingdom. The words we say, the house we live in, and the clothes we wear represent Christ in some way. Let us make sure that others know, first and foremost, we are on His team. And let us make sure that nothing is standing in the way of the Gospel.

Of course, I caught so much razzing this year, it makes me want to wear a real doozie of a Bulldog outfit next year!

Bad Intentions Sometimes Lead to God's Redemption

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish
what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis
50:20

This one verse is why the story of Joseph is one of my favorites in the Bible. I just got done reading through Genesis this week, and it always floors me. Sometimes life doesn't go the way you think it should. Sometimes people do things to harm you. Sometimes you get thrown a curveball. But, we serve a Great God. And He is a God who can take any situation, even though it was meant for evil, and flip it around and use it for God. God can redeem. It is part of His nature. He is a redeemer. Perhaps you've been wronged. Perhaps you've fallen on some rough times. Have you prayed about how God might use it for good? One thing that sticks out about Joseph is that he remained faithful at every turn. Even when he had every right to be bitter, mad at God, mad at his family, and think about quitting -- he remained true to God. He trusted God would work it out. He believed their were better days. He thought that following God was worth it, even when it didn't go as planned. God is worth it, and you can trust Him. He can flip our lives around in an instant. He just asks us to be faithful in the face of turmoil.

Authority

Sorry for the light posting this week...been crazy.

This week I had a mandatory pastor's meeting to go to. Occasionally, I'll have these as part of our denominational connection. But I don't mind them (not that I want to be going to one every week). But, I understand authority. When my denominational leader says that a meeting is mandatory, I'm there. When I'm told to do something by someone in leadership in me, I do it. It's really not that complicated. Man, a lot folks struggle with that concept in our culture.

I preached about this a couple weeks ago in regards to teenagers. Understanding authority is so crucial in our faith. If one can't understand authority, he or she will struggle with God in their lives because the whole point of this walk with Christ is to give Him authority in our lives. Authority over our decisions, family, money, career -- everything. Do you struggle with giving authority to your boss? Are you giving it to Jesus? Authority is hard to give up. We all want to be in control. We all want to be king of our own castle. But giving Christ authority means that we're not in control anymore.

I find that giving Christ authority in my life has taught me what authority on earth is, too. It's okay that someone else has authority over you. Everyone has that. No one is autonomous, we just pretend to be. I hope you experience the freedom found in giving Christ what is already His, for "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me" (Matt. 28:18). You'll find room to grow under His authority. You'll find His plan is better than your plan. You'll find His dreams are bigger than your dreams. And you'll find he can shoulder the burden of control. Let go. Give him authority.

I'll say it again...

I've said it once and I'll say it again: I'm so ready for some college football.

"Legendary" Survey

Hey folks, we're doing a series in October called "Legendary" in which we're going to take some of the stories from the Old Testament that we've heard about or learned as a kid and really dive into them to see what God has for us. We want your help in deciding which stories to use. So, we're asking Church of the Way folks to fill out a poll for the top 5 stories their interested in hearing about. Plus, you can write in your own. If you haven't had the chance to vote on Sunday morning, let us know what you want to hear. It'll only take a few seconds. Thanks in advance for your help!


Just follow the link here: http://poll.fm/38vkd

Reasons Don't Matter for Leaders

I recently read an article at the Business Insider website about Steve Jobs, the recently resigned CEO of Apple. Jobs will continue at Apple in some capacity, but he's giving up the reigns as the big boss. The article was about Jobs' training of new VP's. He basically tells them that janitors get to have reasons for not getting their job done. Their key wouldn't work to get into an office to empty the garbage. There was no hot water. The power was out at the building. They were out of cleaning supplies. Valid reasons are acceptable for them. But, he adds:

"When you're the janitor, reasons matter," Jobs tells newly minted VPs,
according to Lashinsky. "Somewhere between the janitor and the CEO, reasons
stop mattering," says Jobs, adding, that Rubicon is "crossed when you become a
VP."

Vice Presidents don't get the luxury of having reasons for not getting the job done. Vice Presidents HAVE to get it done. There are no excuses for failure.

What Jobs is saying is a part of leadership that a lot of people don't understand. Leaders don't get to make excuses. If it doesn't work, the leader IS the reason. It's his or her job to make it work. The bottom line is that there is a different standard leaders. That's part of the burden of leadership. There is a weight to carry for the leader. It is their responsibility to make sure the engine runs. Reasons don't matter. The sad part of that, for me, is that so many in ministry settings don't take that aspect of leadership seriously. Leaders too often look for reasons. Now, this isn't to say that leaders never fail. On the contrary, leaders fail a lot. But real leaders have to claim that failure. "We didn't fail for this reason or that reason. It was my failure. I will learn from it." If leaders, especially leaders in the church, would take this kind of responsibility and accountability seriously, we could move mountains for God. Dear Lord, let it be.

Oh...and thank a leader today!

A Change'll Do You Good

I find that I am sometimes a strange mix. In some ways, I'm an extreme traditionalist. In others, I embrace change for the sake of change. For the most part, in college football, I'm a traditionalist. I do not want my team to play on Thursday nights because Thursday nights are for JV teams, not teams from the National Collegiate Athletic Association. However, I am very pleased to sit in front of my TV to watch some OTHER team play on Thursdays. I am a UGA fan, and many of our fans are up in arms over our new Pro Combat uniforms for our opener against Boise State. When it comes to uniforms, I'm usually a stickler for tradition. But, I don't know, something in me is changing. The uniforms for one game aren't a big deal to me. And, while many others are up in arms about the possibility of new conference alignments like Texas A & M coming to the SEC, I say, "Change is good!"

The bottom line is that change is virtually unavoidable. Dead people don't change. They usually stay dead. Living organisms have to change. It's part of thriving in our environment. Our bodies are constantly reproducing themselves. We are changing. Isaiah 43:18-19 says,

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

God wants to do something new in us, to us and for us, but we have to embrace change. I'm not sure why we're afraid of change. It's probably the unknown. But the unknown could be better than the known. The unknown could be the answer you've been looking for. And, if the unknown comes from God, you can be sure it's good, for He is working for our good. Don't be afraid of change. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Seek it out. He wants to do a new thing...in you.

Red Velvet Cake

So, this is the Red Velvet Cake I made for my beautiful wife's birthday. From scratch, baby. And, it is pretty delicious (patting self on back). It did turn out pretty good considering it's the first time I've ever made one. Made the icing and all. I don't really understand what people mean when they say they can't cook. I always want to say, "Can you read?" Now, some recipes are easier than others. This was a bit of a challenge, but you just have to do what it says, usually.

Now, I did get a great lesson from this wonderful cake. I stopped on the way home last night to pick up some Cake Flour, which I've found is impossible to find. No one really sells cake flour. But I found a substitute on the inter-tubes and went with it. But that was not the end of it. So, I get home from the grocery store and start on my cake. I get everything out and look at our sugar. It calls for 2 cups. We did not have 2 cups. I just assumed we had sugar. We usually do. We didn't this time. So, I head out to the store again, get my sugar and get started again. Get the eggs and sugar mixed up and get ready to mix the cocoa and red food coloring, two ounces of it. I saw we had some in the cabinet. Surely we had 2 ounces. I was wrong. Trip number three to the grocery store. By this time it is about 11 p.m. I finally finished the cake. I was proud of it, but it was an experience.

I did something great for my wife. She loves red velvet cake, but I wasn't very prepared to do something great. Often, we want to do something great for God, but we have not prepared. We have not done the grunt work that it takes to get prepared for God to move. We want to see God's glory, but we have not let God see our sweat. Being great, doing something great, being a part of something great takes preparation. God will send us through a season of preparation and we have to be willing to focus to get ready. We often get in the kitchen with God, so to speak, and expect a miracle when there are simply too many missing ingredients. We have not gotten ready for waht God wants to do. That makes the process longer and more difficult. God can't do what God wants to do if we have readied ourselves. Do you want to do something great? Is God calling you to something great? If so, chances are, it's time to prepare. Don't be running out to the grocery store for the 3rd time at 11 p.m.

Sitting on the Rock

A few days ago I was jogging on a trail in one of my favorite parks, Tribble Mill, just down from my house. About midway through the jog I found great rock to take a seat on and have some time with my Creator. It kind of became my praying rock. I sat there for 10-15 minutes and just had a talk with God. It was a soul-replenishing time for me.

However, I noticed that as a sat, the rock wasn't that comfortable after a while. In fact, it was downright uncomfortable. I began thinking about how we sing "On Christ the solid rock I stand" and I thought about how, in life, I want to sit on the rock of Jesus. But resting on Jesus isn't always comfortable.

Just because you're a Christian and just because you are following God's will does not mean that it will be comfortable. In reality, the opposite is true. You can almost rest assured that it's going to be uncomfortable. There are no promises that it will be easy. No promises that it will be comfy. No promises that it will be all smooth sailing. But there is a promise that the rock is steady. You can count on it. It's not going anywhere. In a world where everything changes all the time, I certainly need a Rock that won't move.

The Forgotten

Last night, while I was doing a few things around the house and on the computer, the movie "The Forgotten" was on. Pretty good flick with Julianne Moore about aliens abducting children and trying to make people forget they ever had kids. It worked with everyone but her. She wouldn't forget. It's basically about the emotional power of humans to not forget, especially something so deeply personal. We simply don't forget.

I was reading this morning some of the story of Joseph in the Bible. Not Jesus' daddy Joseph, the Joseph in the Old Testament. He had it pretty rough. He was one of 12 brothers, sold into slavery by 10 of them, wrongfully accused of making a sexual advance on his slave master's wife, thrown into prison, and betrayed by the people he helped in prison. At every turn, when it looked like it might get better for Joseph, he went down into a deeper valley.

Long story short, he came out of the valley. The Pharaoh in Egypt made him second in command. He became powerful and rich. God had delivered him out of the deepest valley. After he was appointed to his high position, he married and had two sons, and this is what the Scripture says:

"Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, 'It is because God has made
me forget all my trouble and all my father's household.' The second son he
named Ephraim and said, 'It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of
my suffering.'" (Gen. 41:51-52)

Manasseh means "forget" and Ephraim means "twice fruitful." If you let Him, did you know that God can help you forget the pain, the suffering, and, namely, the mistakes. I come across so many people who can't forgive themselves for the mistakes they've made. God so desperately wants you to forget. He has! When we come to Jesus and seek forgiveness, God forgets. He's ready to move on. And he can make you forget all the struggles. He wants you to because he wants to 'twice bless' you, but he can do so only when we forget. Is there something eating you alive? Have you made some grave mistake (at least you think it was grave)? Did someone wrong you in the past and it's holding you back from what God wants to do in your life? God wants you to forget about it. You can't change it. He can't fix it. But He can fix the future. Won't you let Him?

The Greatest Gift

I went to a memorial service on Saturday for a great lady whose daughter goes to our church. She had been to our church a time or two and was a member of our Mother Church. I don't go to many of those anymore, which is a good thing. We have a very young church, and there simply aren't that many funerals with a young church. But services like this one are uplifting.

It's always sad to lose a loved one, even if they are 90 years old. But this dear lady gave her family a great gift in her passing -- a deep faith in Jesus Christ. I once had a fine mine in my first church that had lost his wife years before I served there. He shared stories about her character and faith and told me, "The greatest gift you can give to your family is a deep faith in Christ and the assurance of where you go when you die."

I've been to funerals when that is in question, and they are no fun at all. Of course, only God knows the condition inside a human heart. Nevertheless, it is a blessing to go to a funeral of someone who is known for their good heart. It is a joy to family members to know that their loved one is spending life after death the same way they spent life before death -- with Jesus. You can give your family no greater gift.

Braves

These Braves sure are fun to watch! And they have fun. Isn't life supposed to be fun? I think we have forgotten that in church. It's okay to have fun. Life with God should be fun. I like seeing how much fun the Braves are having this year. I hope I look like I'm having that much fun at my job, because I am.

What a day

Awesome day at CHURCH OF THE WAY! I can't wait to see what God continues to do this Fall!

I am a blessed man to serve such great people!

Not like you and me

"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord." Isaiah 55:8

I finished a book today that talked a lot about that passage. Does it make you a little uncomfortable? I think it makes me a little uncomfortable. I want to be able to wrap my brain around God. I want it all to make sense. I want it to all make sense. It doesn't. I want it to all be logical. It isn't. I want to be able to get a grasp on exactly how God is moving and working. I can't. God's not just a little smarter than us...we're not even in the same homeroom. We don't even go to the same school. His ways, his thoughts are not like ours. We tend to think, "Oh, that's how I think about this or this is how I would react, so God probably would, too, just a little more elegantly." No. He usually wouldn't do what you would do. He almost always wouldn't do what I would do :) He does things his way, and I don't always have him figured out. I want to...but I don't. Yet, I love him. I love him because He saved me. I love him because He is always proved right in my life when I trust Him, especially when it doesn't make sense. I love him because He has blessed me with so much that I don't deserve. So I try to let Him be God and me be me. I don't have to always understand Him to love Him and serve Him. You won't always get what God is doing. He didn't ask you to and He's not surprised when you don't. He just asked you to follow.

You do what you want

So, my oldest tonight couldn't quite recall everyone that sits at his table in 1st grade. He's been sitting with 5 other people or 6-7 hours a day for the last 3 days, but he can't think of all their names. I'm not asking for full names and social security numbers, just Sally, Joe, Tom, Mary. It's pretty simply.

Now, before he goes to bed tonight, he proceeds to tell me that the next time we go to Toys 'R' Us and he has some cash on him he's got six Beyblades he wants to buy. These are basically spinning tops that my boys love. He rattles them off, and it sounds as if he's speaking another language. But he can't remember John or Tracy.

That's because he doesn't want to. Simply, you do what you want to do. We make excuses all the time about what we can or can't do, but the truth is that usually we do what we want to do. We spend money on what we want to spend money on and we spend time on what we want to spend time on. This is especially critical in our spiritual life because we do what we want to do. There's no excuses. You go to church if you want to. You tithe if you want to. You serve if you want to. You invite others if you want to. You yield your life to Christ because you want to. And when we don't do those things, the harsh reality is that we just don't want to.

May we be people that want to follow Jesus.

Top 5 Sports Moments

A friend got me thinking about what I've witnessed in person as a sports fan. I've been blessed to see some pretty amazing sports moments live. It's really hard to decipher my 'homerism' from it all, especially since I have been to so many UGA games. But, I did my best. Here's the top five I witnessed with my own two eyes, live and in person:

5. John Isner leads the UGA Tennis Team to the 2006 National Championship. Isner is now know for his marathon match at Wimbledon, but it's the only time I've seen my beloved Dawgs win a national championship in a men's sport. I also got to see a Women's Swimming natty.

4. Kevin Butler and the Dawgs beat Clemson from 60 1/2 yards in 1984. The All-American kicker set his tee up on our side of the fifty and split the uprights to beat Clemson. It was the first time I remember hugging complete strangers at a football game.

3. Georgia beats Auburn in 4OT in the SEC's 1st overtime game in 1996. It had a thrilling comeback and breathless last second TD to tie the game. Then, the craziness started. Our defense finally held up to win 56-49.

2. Duke shocks the world and beats undefeated UNLV in the '91 Final Four. I was there in Indianapolis. I still can't believe Vegas lost that game. Laettner was cold blooded and Hurley played every second of that Final Four. Coach K finally got his National Title and a dynasty began. It was much to my dismay...I married a Tarheel, after all.

1. Team USA beats China for the Gold Medal in Women's Soccer in the '96 Olympics Games. It was very weird to be in the stadium I've been to a million times and see it look completely different. It was pretty moving, though, to see the USA win the gold and hear the national anthem played as the team received their medals. I'll never forget it.

Feel free to share yours in the comments!

First Day of School

So, we sent two to the bus stop this morning for the first day of school. It really emptied the house up, that's for sure. Two down, two to go. It was my son Tanner's first day of kindergarten. He was excited, and I was excited for him.

Last night, as I prayed with my two oldest boys before they went to bed, I prayed for them to be influencers. That's my dream for them and that's what God created them to be. I don't worry too much about them being out in the world. They go to the school down the street, and their teachers won't pray with them. There will be no prayer to start the day. And the Bible will not be taught. Christian principles will yield to the princibles of government. Some parents really worry about that. People spend a lot of time petitioning and picketing to get prayer in school or the 10 commandments posted in the school cafeteria. They simply worry that schools have become too worldly. But that's right where I want my boys to be. They are young, but we have been preparing them their whole little lives to go out...to be sent.

Jesus said to his disciples, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves" (Matt. 10:16). He didn't pretent that it was going to be easy or everyone was going to be nice or act Christian. I want my boys to be world changers. They don't need the school to lead a prayer because they know how to pray. They don't need the Bible to be taught there because God's Word is already firmly in their hearts. They are taking Jesus with them...to their teachers...to their classmates...to their school. While peer pressure and negative influences are real dangers, I believe we have the power to instill in our children the confidence to lead with roots that lead to Jesus. School will no doubt change them. Their education will shape them in ways we don't know yet. However, I hope that when they graduate from Archer High School years from now, that Archer is different because the McInnis boys came through with the light of Christ shining through them. That's what our schools so desperately need: an army of kids commited to Christ and ready to serve and love their classmates and teachers with the heart of Jesus.

You know, come to think of it, that's what our workplaces need, too. And the grocery store. And the gym. And the PTA. And football team. And our neighborhoods. And the...you get the picture.

Is it here yet?

Good Lord, I can't wait for football season. The more I read practice reports, see preseason specials and listen to sports talk radio, the more I'm growing completely restless. For my, it is simply the best. There is something about football that is not like any other sport. It is nigh unto magical. Football is a release for me. It's a time to step away from reality and have fun focusing on a game, that, in the end won't matter that much. It won't affect the economy. It probably won't affect eternity. But it sure is fun.

Things I'm looking forward to, in no particular order:

• The first big hit


• Interceptions. Man, I love interceptions.


• The Sanford Sunshine


• Crazy plays


• Tailgating and hanging with friends


• That feeling when a bomb is in the air


• Thursday night college football games


• Monday Night Football


• Those Tuesday night Conference USA games


• Bands...college football is supposed to have bands, not piped-in techno music


• Helmets


• Special uniforms


• A tailback going 'up-and-over' for a score


• Throwing my boys up in the air after a touchdown

Man, I can't wait.

Welcome Back

Someone who used to attend our church asked me the other day if they could come back. I was a little taken aback. My answer was, of course, "Of course!" That's a lot of 'of courses' there. It made my heart sad to think that someone thinks that they might not be welcomed back in the family of God.

Whether we admit it or not, a lot us feel this way. We feel like our mistakes are simply too big for the grace of God to overcome. We feel like we there's not enough room for our baggage. And we're left asking God, "Can I come back?"

God's answer is ALWAYS like mine. "Of course, beloved, you can always come back." I tell my boys all the time that there is nothing they can do that will make me stop loving them. That doesn't mean I'm not sometimes disappointed or irritated with them. But I never stop loving them. God is the same. There is nothing you can do to make Him stop loving you. He decided a long time ago that He loved you forever. You are always welcome back.

Getting Better

So, I'm thinking about going back and getting my doctorate. I wasn't ever really sure I'd consider something like that. I've always said that I could care less if people call me doctor. I don't care about titles. And, I really, really don't like school. That sounds bad, but you gotta think about my context. I went straight from high school to college and straight to seminary. When I graduated from seminary, I had been in school for 20 straight years. I was a little tired of it.

But I've come around. For the first time ever...I think I want to go back to school. Because I want to be better. I want to be better at my job. I want to be a better pastor and better leader. I want to vision for our church better. I simply want to get better. I believe there are programs out there that can help me do just that - get better. That's where this came from. A desire to get better.

Complacency irritates me, maybe as much as anything else. This is a new revelation to me. I mean, I just figured out it irritates me. I don't ever want to be complacent. I don't want to sit in the status quo. I want to strive, strive, strive to be the best I can be...for our church to be the best She can be. I don't believe complacency honors God. God is a God that moves forward. God believes in excellence. God wants to push you to new horizons. God wants more out of you than you can imagine. And God says you will accomplish even bigger and better things than Jesus (that's in the Book). Don't just sit idle. Stretch. Reach. Strive. Get better. God needs you to be the best you you can be. And he wants that life for you.

What a Summer!

So, today is July 31, and, in a way, the end of summer. It has been an amazing summer at Church of the Way. Really, on Memorial Day, I didn't know what to expect over the summer. We were beginning a new series, and I'd never done a series like it, especially one that long.

Nine weeks later we've had the greatest summer we've ever had a Church of the Way. Over 40 kids went on our Student Beach Retreat. We had over 200 in worship on 6 of 9 June & July Sundays. And we've seen great ministry happen in Random Kindness throughout the summer. Plus, we had some amazing nights of family worship with Family Fusion and ministered to over 45 children at VBS.

I prayed for it, but I'm not sure I expected it. That's God, though. He shows up in unexpected ways. And God is capable of more than we realize. Thank you, Church of the Way, for an awesome Summer. I can't wait to see what God does this Fall.

Kids Will Wear You Out

After a week of evening VBS, I was pretty zapped today. It was one of those days where I wanted to accomplish something, but about all I accomplished was cleaning out a closet. Kids simply zapp you. They take attention and focus and that wears you out. Heck, all I did was lead the singing and then help out where needed. I can't imagine how all our group leaders feel.

But, it's a good reminder to encourage parents of young children. There's a reason parents with young kids look tired all the time -- they are. Kids mean responsibility, and responsibility is taxing. There's no way around it. So, when you see a worn out dad, mom, or teacher, encourage them. They're are giving their all to kids, and that will flat leave you wasted.

Decisions

"For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision." Joel 3:14

Decisions have been on my mind lately. If you were to ask me the most important thing about leadership, I'd probably say decisions. But decisions are really the foundation of life. Our lives are built on our decisions -- for better or worse. That word, decision, is not found in the Bible much. In fact, this passage in Joel has it two times, and it's the only time in the Bible that it's translated as 'decision.' The Hebrew word for decision can also be translated:

-Sharp, pointed
-Ditch
-Gold

Isn't that weird? I mean, those are four pretty different translations. But they are fitting. A decision can be a dagger to you or someone else. It can also land you or your life in a ditch. But it can also be gold. Decisions have the ability to harm others, ourselves or bring incredible good for everyone around us. Decisions affect the future, which will require more decisions. The important thing for those that want the life God has planned for them is to figure out what it means to make decisions that honor God. Is you decision making based on:

-Biblical Principles?
-Prayer?
-Godly Counsel?
-Past Experiences of God's faithfulness

How do you make decisions? If we get that right in our walk with Jesus, we will get so much else right in our lives. God wants a say in our decisions because He has such a big, incredible plan for our lives.

Communication

It's really as simple as communication. Communication will thwart almost every future dispute and solve most problems. Why in the world don't humans know how to communicate? I was just reading this morning about Laban and Jacob in the book of Genesis. Laban had not communicated clearly his hopes and expectations of what it would mean for Jacob to work for him. Jacob had not communicated his desires and wishes clearly to Laban. The result was a cloud of uncertainty and disappointment. Jacob fled in the night and Laban pursued him, only to end up in a big argument. And could have been avoided by simple communication.

Communication is hard because it requires honesty, and most of us are not ready to be honest about our dreams, hurts, and hopes. We don't want to be honest to tell others difficult things about ourselves or them. We don't want to hurt others' feelings. Moreover, we don't want to seem vulnerable or week. Communication requires vulnerability. You have to be truthful to communicate and sometimes the truth leaves you kind of out there, with all your stuff exposed.

Healthy relationships simply run on communication. It is the lifeblood of a well-adjusted life. People that live in constant drama do so usually because they have no clue how to communicate clearly with those that are closest to them. But, if we will communicate, we will begin to chip away at the facades we often live with. Communication can solve almost any problem in a relationship. But you'll have to be honest. You'll have to tell the truth. Just remember, the truth will set you free. I think that's in the book somewhere.

Learning About Leadership

I just finished what I think is the thickest book I ever read -- George W. Bush's presidential memoir, Decision Points. 481 pages. It was fascinating. One of those books that would be a good read for every American. So much history happened during his presidency. But the one thing that stuck out to me was how much I don't understand. The guy is really smart. In fact, pretty much all presidents are smart.

I'm not a political guy at all, but I wanted to share an insight from the book that just spoke to me. You don't get elected President if you're stupid. Partisan politics make liberals lambast Bush as dumb and conservatives label Obama as stupid. It's simply not true. Presidents have to know more about more stuff than we can possibly imagine. That doesn't mean they always do the right thing, of course. However, I believe most presidents want to make the right decisions for the country.

That's the other insight. You see how much went into decisions when you read a book like that. When you have a leadership position like that, the stress is enormous. And you don't take a position like that unless you want to make decisions for the greater good. I think that is the great thing about our country. I've always been the kind of guy to cast my vote, and whoever wins is my president. President Obama has some big decisions to make in the next few days, but I trust him because I believe our public servants want to make the right decisions for the country, not just their party. I believe Bush wanted to do the same things.

The problem is that the nature of leadership is dis-trust from those that aren't in leadership. Simply put, those not in leadership don't always know all the facts. If you knew all the Bush knew, would you have gone into Iraq, too? If you knew all the President Obama knows, would you raise the debt ceiling? Often, leaders have to make decisions that don't really have good answers, just the better of two 'okay' answers. People don't always understand that.

It's so important to pray for our leaders, whether in the government, the business world or the Church. Pray for leaders to make wise decisions. That's what I pray for myself every day.

Thankful

It was a powerful reminder today of how blessed I am to lead Church of the Way, an amazing group of people. Simply put, they are fun to be around. Starting Church of the Way really has been a dream come true. I've been at it six years, but we're just getting warmed up. I'm super excited to see what God is going to do in this great church.

I remember when I was in seminary and so many of my classmates there bad-mouthed their churches. We were all serving the same kinds of churches -- little country churches out in the sticks. However, I believe that when you see good in people, good comes out. God's image is on us all.

I'm grateful that I don't have to pretend. I get to serve a group of people that care deeply about our mission and vision. Being around them gives me energy. People talk about burnout in ministry all the time. I've seen it over and over again. I get it. I've felt burnt out from time to time. But I've never felt totally burned out. I've got the most exciting job in the universe. I get to be involved in the redemption of broken people. I get to see people come to faith in Christ and have their lives transformed. I can't imagine myself doing anything else. My church just reminded me today why I love what I do. I'm just getting started and pumped about what's comng next at Church of the Way.

The Responsibilities of Leadership

I recently read a line in President George W. Bush's memior that when he went away to Camp David, the press called it a vacation. However, he would, of course, get security breifings every morning as well as deal with any urgent matters and take strategic calls. He said something to the affect of, "The responsibilities of the presidency followed me wherever I went." There really isn't a vacation for a president.

In reality, that is true for any leader, whether that is a coach, business owner or pastor. Those that are in leadership cannot escape the responsibilities and duties of their organization, no matter how far away and sandy the place they go is. This has been especially true of my experience of leadership as a pastor. It is virtually impossible to escape the duties of the ministry. Now, the key to avoiding burnout is learning how to navigate it. I see so many pastors burn out because they don't know how to create balance in their lives. A few things I've learned along the way in making my way through 11 years of ministry:

• You have to really love what you do. Ministry is stressful and full of putting out fires, but I love it.


• You have to understand how to control technology. We simply can't always be available or we'll drive ourselves crazy. Jesus wasn't available 24/7 -- we shouldn't be either.


• You have to have outlets. Mine are my family, exercise and college football. Jesus has all of them, but I won't let the ministry have them.


• You have to have times of spiritual renewal. Jesus repeatedly took time away to pray. We have to. We don't only need daily time with God, but sometimes we need extended time away to focus and pray.


• You have to get over it. I am grateful to be in ministry and know what I signed up for. So many pastors act like it's a surprise that they are needed so much by the ministry. This is just life. Stop throwing a pity party and put your nose to the grindstone or go do something else. It simply comes with the territory.

I've been thinking about some of these issues this week while I'm away visiting some family. We're kind of taking one last trip away before school starts back, but we'll be back on Saturday to get ready for another awesome Sunday of worship at Church of the Way. And there will be times I'm needed during this week. It's just life. If you're a leader, you get that. You understand it. It is the cost of leadership. It's worth it to me. I get to experience the movement of God's Spirit in the lives of His children. Sometimes, I get inconvenienced, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. And I won't let the inconveniences win by burning me out.

The Sun

So, I got pretty sunburned today playing in the pool with my boys. Do you ever think about how hot the sun is that it can burn us from that far away? And do you ever think about how powerful that must make God?

No Rainouts in Life

It was pretty fascinating this morning to watch the best golfers in the world struggle against the elements at the British Open. It was windy and raining and basically pretty miserable. But that's what officials at the Royal & Ancient Golf Club expect at the Open Championship -- and they love it that way. They don't really have rainouts at the British Open. They expect that it's going to rain every year during the championship, and they expect play will go on. In America, we'd call it a rainout. We'd postpone play till another day. But not at The Open.

Life is more like The Open. You don't get to postpone play in life when storms come. Don't you wish you could? Instead, we have to play through the elements. We have to battle the wind, rain and cold. We have to fight. You don't get to delay life if the situation is rough. You don't get to postpone decisions just because it's uncomfortable. There are no rainouts in life.

The best thing to do is expect the storms and prepare for them. The players at the British Open pulled out umbrellas, rain gear, hats and gloves. They were ready. What are you doing now to prepare for the storms of life? Is your relationship with God getting stronger and preparing you for rough waters? God will be with you, no matter what, in the storms. But the thing we can do today is prepare for storms now. They will come. May our faith be steady when the rain comes.

But, but, bless me, too...please!!!!

"Esau said to his father, 'Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!' Then Esau wept aloud." Genesis 27:38

I've been reading about the story of Jacob and Esau this week. Jacob was a really important Biblical character in Genesis long before the name came synonymous with a really ambiguous character on the greatest TV show of all time, LOST...but I digress. It's Esau that fascinates me. As I thought about Esau, the quote that came to my mind was, "He's always a day late and a dollar short." You know, it was just always something with Esau. He was always a step behind. His attitude bothered his parents. He sold his birthrite without thinking about it. He rushed off to marry someone like Jacob because he thought it would please his parents. He was always begging for seconds. He had every opportunity in the world, the first born of Isaac...but he never really got it because he just couldn't focus on the right things. And it seemed like he was always saying, "Bless me, too".

Is that ever us? Are you squandering an opportunity God has given you in life, your family, your career because you can't focus? Are you always coming up 10 minutes late to God saying, "I meant to do that, too, bless me, too." That was the sense with Esau. He was always 'meaning' to do the right thing but never really seemed to do it. Sometimes I feel like we have that attitude. It's the victim mentality. "It wasn't my fault." "I want my share." It's like God is giving away something for free and we're always running up to try get it but He runs out just before we get there and we're like a kid saying, "Don't you have anymore lollipops left?" While our motivations are important, that motivation has to be followed by action. Meaning to follow Jesus isn't enough. You know how you make sure you always get the lollipops God is handing out? Stand right next to Him all the time. You'll find that there's a limitless supply.

Swearing

I got to thinking about swearing the other day. Cussing. Cursing. Profanity....whatever you want to call it. I generally don't swear. It's just never really been appealing to me. I've never swore in front of my kids. I've never swore to my wife. College football doesn't even really make me cuss (though it occassionally comes awfully close). I just figure I can usually come up with better words when life throws me a frustrating situation. However, if there is one situation I am prone to swear it's counseling.

I know, I know, it sounds crazy. When I counsel someone as their pastor I'm supposed to be a comforting voice. I'm supposed to be gentle and caring. And I am. I genuinely care about people. When I meet with someone to talk about a problem, I want to help them. That's part of my calling and part of my job. But I'm telling you, that's when I'm most likely to swear. I think the reason is that I so often feel like people come to talk to a pastor so that he will give them a pat on the back and affirm their sinful behavior. I often find that people are not listening to a word I have to say, even if it is the truth. Sometimes, I think I feel like I have to shock them into listening. A four-letter zinger usually does the trick. This has happened time and time again and I think it's just part of my DNA. It usually happens when I feel like I just don't have anything left to say and they're still not hearing me. Am I wrong for that? I don't know. It's certainly meant for the right reasons.

It begs an interesting question for Christians: is it wrong to swear, all the time? Mark Twain wrote, "Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even in prayer." I always thought that was funny, and sometimes true. I mean, Paul cussed in the Bible in Phlippians because he was looking for the key word to make a point about wht Christ had done for him. Of course, Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." But what does that really mean?

Our cuss words are simply a collection of letters that society has deemed as dirty. God didn't make them up. Jesus spoke Aramaic, not English. And can a swear word be used to build up others for for their benefit? I've certainly felt so sitting across from a cup of coffee from someone. And isn't all about the attitude? When I get frustrated and tell my boys to "pick up the dadgum toys", is not the same attitude behind that statement that's behind the other word? This is why it's tricky to be led by the Spirit. For me, I feel God tell me that it's foolish to use profanity and I'm just stupid if I can't think of other words. But I've also felt God nudge my heart to say something a little salty to help get His point across. I think the key is found in the scripture above:

• Is this wholesome?


• Is this building others up?


• Is this for the benefit of others?

If we ask ourselves that question, I think we'll use the right words. Just kind of a thought I've been having lately.

Peace.

An Interesting Absence

I was enthralled watching Jaycee Dugard's first interview on Sunday night. I really can't believe the story. It's like a movie. It's amazing she was found and that she still has her sanity. Her stories were remarkable. I appreciated her attitude and willingness to share her experience with the world. What a miracle!

I was struck, though, by the lack of Christ. His absence was palpable, and because of that, there was a missing element to the story. That's really the feeling I got. Listening to her, and especially her mom, I told my wife, "There's something missing...it's Jesus." Faith in God was not really part of the story. And I wondered, perhaps, what an experience like that must do to whatever faith you might have had. I wondered what would happen to any of our faith in those situations. How would we view Christ if a crazed man that raped us read to us from the Bible, ESPECIALLY if we didn't have any grounding, which seems like is the case from her family.

And that is the biggest travesty of this all. This man took an 11 year-old girl with little faith background and did the most terrible things to her imaginable for 18 years while claiming to be a prophet sent by the God of OUR Bible. He didn't just steal her life. He warped her view of God in the ugliest way. He represented what she came to know as the God of the Bible. And it's so obvious that there is the missing element to her and her mom's recovery that I believe only God can be a part of.

I'm so glad that this woman and her two children have been rescued. I'm so grateful a mom got her little girl back. My hope and prayer is that over the next 18 years, God will place people in their lives who are true representations of who Jesus is, so that they can find the missing element to their recovery and redemption. I really believe this is true for all of us. I believe that there is a spot in our hearts and life that only Jesus can make sense of. Perhaps you've had some bad representations of Jesus in your life. Don't judge Jesus on bad apples. He just might be the missing element you need.

USA!

I do not fancy myself a soccer guy at all. I'm not even sure what I'm watching. We didn't have soccer in my hometown or at my high school growing up. I know you're supposed to get the ball in the goal.

I did see the US women win the Gold at the '96 Atlanta Olympics. That was pretty awesome.

But, Sunday afternoon I tuned into the last 5 minutes of the USA Women's World Cup match. It was awesome. I always say this about soccer, and other Olympic sports I don't understand. I don't get it or understand, but I know who I'm cheering for.

The Wisdom of Chick-fil-a

We did the whole dress like a cow thing Friday night and got six free meals. It was awesome. They were giving away food left and right. Some people wonder why they do such a thing.

My prayer is that churches across America would get the message of CFA. All they did was create an incredibly positive experience for millions of people. You know what? People want to go to places in which they've had positive experiences. The Church should do all we can to give people positive experiences. It might cost us something, but people will come back.