Tough times, tough people and a tougher God

I read a line in a book recently that went something like this, "Just because you're going through tough times doesn't necessarily mean you're outside of God's will."  I had to let that sink in for a moment.  It's so true.  It's so profound.

There is kind of an underlying sentiment that almost all of us share that if we're going through something bad, we must've done something wrong.  God is judging us, angry at us, and out to get us.  God is the big bully in the sky, and we just need to get back aligned with him and our lives will be smooth sailing.

This thinking comes from the myth that if we will follow Jesus that our lives will be rainbows, unicorns and lollipops.  Everything will be okay with God in our lives.  He will protect us and lead us into greener pastures.  I'm just not sure that's accurate.

So, the only natural response to tough times is thinking we've done something wrong.  We're not doing what God wants us to do.  There's no Biblical merit to that thinking.  You might be going through tough times precisely BECAUSE you're smack dab in the center of God's Will.  The world might be opposed to God's will, so if you're in it, the world might be opposed to you.  There's just no correlation.  Life is up and down, and there's little we can do about it.

The task is to remain faithful.  Now, to be sure -- sometimes our sin and stupid decisions put us in a tough spot.  We usually know when we've done that.  But sometimes the test results just come back positive.  Sometimes we just get caught in the massive layoff.  Sometimes people betray us.  Sometimes someone rear-ends us.  Sometimes the water line leaks.  Sometimes life happens. And it's not because you're against God's will.

So trust Him.  Don't wait for things to turn around to trust Him.  Don't wait till he 'comes through' to prove himself to you.  That's not faith.  Trust Him in the valley.  They say tough times don't last, but tough people do.  Maybe that's true, but I've faced times in which I didn't feel as tough as what was going on around me.  But God is tougher.  Trust him in the season of mess.  It's not because He's turned His back on you.  He's there.  He'll outlast it.

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (9.16.16)

Hey Church!

I hope you've had a 'complaint free' week!  We're challenging ourselves this week to not complain with our "No Complaining" bracelets that are part of our message series.  This week, we'll take it even a step further.  I believe what comes out of our mouths matters.  It reflects our heart, impacts our heart, and influences others.  Be there this Sunday as we continue "No Complaining."

Also, don't forget:

• We're sponsoring the Winder-Barrow vs. Loganville game tonight.  Help us give away candy and meet the community!  E-mail me if you're interested and haven't signed up.
• Family Promise begins on Sunday.  We still have a few overnight slots, some weekend help and a few other openings to serve.  Contact Jim Ramsdail at jramsdail@yahoo.com if you're interested.

Thought for the Week
"I will give them and those around my hill a blessing by sending the rain in its season. They will be rains of blessing.  The trees in the field will bear fruit, and the earth will yield its harvest."  Ezekiel 5:26-27

It seemed to happen so fast.  It's still pretty warm during the day.  Many days it still feels like summer, but summer is drawing to a close.  Even though it only feels like Autumn early in the morning and late at night, it's happening even when we don't notice it.  And what was really taking months seemed to happen so fast.  I've noticed a leaves starting to fall.  I drove into the neighborhood and everyone's grass wasn't as green.  Something is changing behind the scenes and we don't even notice it.  There is a mystical element to the change in seasons.  From the leaf that falls while the days still hit 90 degrees to the flower the sprouts through the snow, there is evidence that there is much happening that we don't see.  In our lives, we often miss the mystical changes taking place behind the scenes as God prepares us for a new season.  Perhaps a season of rain is coming, a season of growth, a season of letting go, pruning or lying dormant or a season of harvest.  The truth is we move so fast through life that we often miss the signs.  And we weren't ready to deal with the growth, the harvest or the leaves in our yard.  Things are never the same in our lives.  Things are always changing because God is always doing something and preparing us for something new, a new season.  The change of seasons in creation is necessary for new growth.  The same is true for us.  I don't know what that new 'thing' is for you, but I know that we can miss it if we don't look out closely for the signs.  But you have to be still to see it.  You have to observe.  You have to take some time with God and notice what is slowly changing and ask Him what He wants to do in the next season.

In Christ,

Carter 

Time Flies

How did this happen?

How in the world did we get here?  The only emergency credit card I have was about to expire so I got the new one in the mail.  I looked at the new expiration date and had to pause a minute.  I thought, "I have a card that will expire in the 2020s?"  That's, like, in the future.  

I am in a very strange time of life.  I am just an adult.  I'm not quite seasoned enough to have all the sage wisdom those near or at retirement have.  And I just don't quite have the energy that those just starting out have.  I'm in the middle.  But by the time you get to the middle, you begin to think about time differently.

After today, I will have a child headed to middle school.  That seems incredibly weird.  I have elementary kids -- not middle schoolers!  It's these realizations that people have what we used to call a "mid-life crisis."  I don't think I'll be buying any convertibles any time soon (what folks used to do during 'the crisis'), but we all certainly start looking for an answer to life's most important questions:  am I living for what I want to live for?  Is there more than the rate race?  

You see, and I don't mean to depress you, but here's something I know about you.  That number up there ^^^^^...

You've got one, too.  

That's right, you've got an expiration date.  Now, I hope it's a long, long ways off.  I'm sure it is.  But it's closer today than it was yesterday.  The realization of this for me is that I just want to be a part of what God is doing.  I want to know my life was a part of a much grander story than my own.  My story is too small.  We spend an awful lot of time on our story, which is really a 12-page short story in the midst of God's 1,500 page multi-volume novel printed in 100 languages.  The ending to my story is coming so quickly.  I mean, my card expires in the 2020's, y'all!  

Here's what I believe about us.  We find our best story in the midst of God's story.  When we live our own lives our own way we live in a story that is so limited and ends when we die, remembered by a few friends and family.  In God's story, we find our truest selves.  We are afforded the opportunity to participate in a story that spans eternity.

Would you pray the prayer of Habakkuk?  "Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known."  (Habakkuk 3:2)  Don't you want to be a part of something bigger in your time?  Times flying, but it's never too late to start a new story.

Positive Thoughts & Good Vibes

I'm seeing it more and more.  "Granddaddy has surgery, so please send your prayers, positive thoughts and good vibes his way."  "I've got a big job interview today, so prayers and positive thoughts are much appreciated."  "My daughter is taking a huge exam this afternoon, so any good vibes and prayers for her are welcome."

What does that even mean?  Do people really think positive thoughts and good vibes make a difference?  Do people think that I can somehow affect the cosmos across time and space if I just believe they'll do good on their exam and send my positive thoughts their way?  I know we're really trying to include all our diverse friends when we make those comments, but I'm not sure it's helpful.

I recently heard a quote from Perry Noble that I liked.  It went something like this:  "In a crisis, you find out if you're an atheist or a Christian."  When people send out such request, it is because they are facing a crisis moment.  There is a big test, doctor's appointment or family crisis -- and they realize they need all the help they can get.  But Christians believe there is only one thing that can help.  We believe that we serve the God of all creation who was, is, and is to come.  And we believe that He moves and works in history.  And we believe that prayer works because He turns His ear to the prayers of His children.

There was a powerful movie out several years ago called Bless the Child.  It was kind of a modern day savior story.  Satan was actually a popular motivational speaker who's motto was that we had the power within us.  All you had to do was believe in yourself.  You know...positive thoughts.  Good vibes.  You see, this is the opposite of the Gospel message.  The Gospel of Jesus is that we are a broken mess, and our positive thoughts can't fix anything.  They only hide the brokenness within.  We don't need more of us.  We need more of God.

The first commandment God gave to Moses was that we should not have any other gods before (or besides) Him.  It was that 'besides' God that was the problem for Israelites.  Pray to God but sacrifice to the agricultural deity just in case.  Pray to God but make and offering to the fertility goddess just in case.  Pray to God but get some good vibes coming your way, too.  What can it hurt?

If you are a Christ Follower -- stop it.  Call on your friends to pray and pray like they've never prayed before.  But calling on people to send positive thoughts sends a wrong message -- because we don't believe those positive thoughts make a lick of impact.  In fact, we are sending a message that there are other alternatives to the work of God in our lives.  It's as if we're saying, "God might be an answer for you, but you might just need a good self help book and some positive thoughts."  If I am in a crisis, I don't want your good vibes.  I want you to pray to the King of Kings to act on my behalf and do what you nor I can do.  To move in ways we don't understand and can't comprehend.  Isn't that what we all want?

If you are not a Christ Follower -  I'm so appreciative of you reading.  I understand that you have a much more pluralistic understanding of the universe than I do.  I'm grateful we can share ideas across understandings.  I'll bet you've had one of those crisis or perhaps there will be one in the years ahead.  Do you think that positive thoughts will help?  Maybe you do.  That's cool.  I'm not convinced.  Or, are you hoping that maybe there is Something...Someone...out there that will move on your behalf in some kind of supernatural way.  I believe there is.  And I believe that Someone loves you.  And I'd love to pray for you for that Someone to move in your life situation or crisis.  I promise you don't want my good vibes or positive thoughts.  I'm a mess.  I don't know what I'm doing or what's best for you.  That Someone does.  He wouldn't even mind if you prayed to Him.  Why not give it a try the next time you need a little help?

Ashley Madison, the Virginia shooting, and our mirror

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."  -Hebrews 4:13

I thought all the Ashley Madison clients whose names and emails were laid bare when I saw this passage.  I thought about all the men who thought they could 'get by' in secret with their lusts and betrayal.  I thought of the secrets that are now no longer secrets that are wrecking marriages as we speak.  And I thought about how we all have secrets that could destroy us.

Then, in broad daylight in Virginia, a disgruntled former employee went up and shot two innocent people, a reporter and a camera man, right on live television.  Sometimes our sins aren't even secret.  The tragedy in Virginia and the tragedy of the Ashley Madison scandal is a reminder of how broken our world is.  We are a sinful bunch, killing each other, physically and emotionally.  We are selfish and vindictive.  We are lustful and quick to react.  We are a mess.  We need Jesus.  We need His forgiveness, and we need him to shape us.

It's so easy to point fingers in these situations.  Men seeking sex outside the covenant of marriage is wrong.  A man walking up and killing two people is wrong.  But we don't really need to be reminded of that, though it does make us feel good sometimes to point a finger.  What I am reminded of in these situations is how much we have these things within us, and when we see ugliness on full display, it's a good time to look in the mirror.  You might not seek out a secret online affair, but what secret sin are you holding onto?  In what ways are we looking outside our closest relationships for affirmation and intimacy?  What do we have the capacity to do if we thought we could do it in secret?  And how have we let rage boil up in us so hot that we could just kill someone?  Maybe we wanted to hit them.  Maybe we did.  Maybe we just cursed them, to their face or behind their back.  Maybe we gave them the ol' 'unfriend' on social media.  Maybe we wished they were dead.

This is uncomfortable, but it reminds me that not only does our world need saving, not only do people whose sins have been in the limelight need Jesus.  I need saving.  I need Jesus.  If my life were laid bare, I'd be ashamed of the mean-spirited and hateful thoughts.  I'd be ashamed of my anger.  I'd be ashamed of my pride.  I'd be ashamed of my selfishness.  I'd be ashamed.  You would be, too.  I am convinced that the ONLY way this world will find peace and rest is if we each, individually, allow Jesus to change our hearts.  I believe that kind of change has the capacity to rub off on people.

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (5.14.15)

I hope you're week is going great.  It's hard to believe that school is almost out.  This Sunday, we'll be finishing up our series as we talk about "Why are Christians so fake?"  We'll be talking about how we can be authentic followers us Jesus.

We've got a couple of service opportunities coming up:

• This Friday, May 15 - Come help paint, install new toilets, clean and put the finishing touches in the restrooms at Harmony Grove.  11 am - 4 pm
• Saturday, May 16 - Come help finish up the restrooms.  Contact me about times at Harmony Grove
• Sunday, May 17 - We'll be doing some changes to our set-up at the Gwinnett Campus after worship.  Stick around and or come out to help move around some things to help the Co-Op get ready for their summer ministry.

Thought for the Week
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Matthew 28:20

This week, a fellow United Methodist pastor in the Atlanta-Emory District lost his son to cancer at 23.  He battled for four years.  It rocks me to my core when a parent loses a child.  It is not the order of life.  We don't expect it.  It's wrong.  We are supposed to bury our grand-parents and parents.  We are not supposed to bury our children.  I can't imagine the pain and loss they are going through.  It is another example of the broken nature of our world.  Nineteen year-olds are not supposed to get cancer -- but the world is broken.  Right before He ascended, Jesus said these words to his disciples and best friends:  "I am with you."  He did not say, "Now everything's going to be fine."  He promised His presence, no matter what brokenness we are going through.  The stress of a job that few understand.  Depression.  Disease.  Broken relationships.  Struggling with parenting.  Family drama.  Whatever it is, Jesus promises to be WITH us.  To never leave us, to walk along side us.  Sometimes, it's the only comfort, but it's the comfort that matters.  We are not abandoned.  We are called His own, and He is here.  It won't fix all your problems.  It doesn't take away the pain of loss and suffering.  But it is a real promise and one that we can rest in.  God is here.  Always has been.  Always will be.

In Christ,

Carter 

Tragedy

Yesterday, the state of Georgia was rocked with the news of five young Georgia Southern students who were killed in a multi-car wreck on I-16.  The five young women were nursing students on the way to a clinical in Savannah.  From the pictures I've seen of them on social media, they were full of life and enthusiasm.  Sometimes you can see it in a smile.  I thought of a few of my dearest friends who have daughters at GSU.  It could have been them.  They're about the same age.  It hits close to home.

Simply, there is not real answer for tragedy.  Shame us when we try to find one.  God did NOT need five more angels.  God's got plenty of angels, and we humans don't become angels anyway.  It wasn't 'their time to go.'  No one has a time.  It wasn't God's will.  My God is not in the business of killing young, vibrant college students.  Everything does NOT happen for a reason.  Sometimes there are no reasons.  Sometimes there is simply tragedy that interrupts life.

We live in a broken world where sin, death, and tragedy are a reality.  There was a plan in which it was not like this.  It was called Eden.  But the brokenness of humanity knocked this world off it's axis, and we've seen heartache and tragedy ever since.  It was not God's original design that we would ever see death.

To believe that God wills our deaths and controls events is a tragic and unfortunate kind of thinking.  It doesn't reveal the true heart of God and the greatest promises of Scripture.  Tragedy simply happens.  Our broken world rears its ugly head sometimes.  Life derails just because it does.  There are no reasons, no greater plan, and no answers.

But there are promises.  God's promise is that He is with us, even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  He comforts us.  He does not and will not abandon us, no matter how bleak it seems.  My hope and prayer for those families of those precious girls is that they would know the abiding presence of God in these days and the days to come.

And there is another promise.  We weren't supposed to taste death, but we did.  The fall of humanity in Genesis carved a path that each of us have followed.  Since the beginning, we have had a death problem.  God fixed that.  That's why Easter matters to us.  Those of us who follow Christ are still in the 'Easter Season' in which we are celebrating Christ's resurrection from the grave.  We believe Jesus defeated death.  And the hope of the Christian is that, in Christ, we will, too.  Not only in eternal life, but in the resurrection to come.  We really believe that.  We believe that God is with us in the valley, and that one day we will rise again, stare death in the face and say, "Where, o death, is your victory; where is your sting?"  

In the face of tragedy, let us not say the trite things that end up being hurtful more than helpful.  There is no reason for these things.  God is as heartbroken as us.  He weeps at our broken world.  He weeps at our death.  But He is with us, and he has been devising a plan to win back His people over death since the beginning.  May those who face tragedy rests in His presence, and may we all hope in His promises.

Together

I've been off the blogosphere for a while, as it's been a little hectic lately.  I'm happy to be back, and wanted to share what we've been up to.

On Sunday, March 1, we had a crazy day.  I got to be a part of something that most pastors never get to be a part of - serving as pastor of a merged congregation on launch Sunday.  In fact, I have been a part of three things most pastors never get to be a part of.  I was blessed with the honor of starting a church 10 years ago, and I have been grateful to see that church launch a 2nd campus in Grayson.  Over the last six months, I have had the privilege to lead that church into a merger with a church that has been around for 166 years for a newly merged permanent campus.  Planting a church and merging churches are both crazy endeavors.

There is so much power in merging congregations.  In many ways, it is much like a marriage.  The first few years of marriage you have to find your way a little.  A church merger includes lots of 'finding your way' in the relationship.  It's incredibly complicated.  Merging finances, getting a new name, and combining leadership are actually the easy part.  The hard part is merging cultures.  Whether it's 10 years or 166 years, churches develop ways of doing things.  Just like a marriage, a merged church has to learn how to do things together.

But merging a church is a beautiful thing if God's Spirit is in it.  I am reminded that I have new friends with which to do ministry.  Many of these new friends are already near and dear to my heart.  I would never have known them had we not walked down this path.  They are beautiful disciples of Jesus.  Like a marriage, a merger is an admission that we need each other to be our best, that life was not better alone.  And it's beautiful when it works.  There is great power and beauty when the Body of Christ unites and says, "We are in this together."

I'll admit it's messy.  There is no easy way.  There are bumps and long hours of prayer.  There are hiccups.  Every marriage has them.  You expect it in marriages.  We should expect it in mergers.  But we keep learning.  We learn to be better spouses.  And we learn to be better brothers and sisters in Christ.

And, like a new marriage, their remains the promise of offspring.  When young parents have children, the realize that through the messiness of the early years and the hiccups and the hard work, there are actual humans that wouldn't be here without them being together.  Their love and commitment to one another allowed a little one to be nurtured.  Young parents have a child or adopt a child and realize they have a bigger purpose.  It wasn't just to be together.  It was for the new life that emerged that they are now raising.

That's a church merger.  It's not just being together.  It's not just that together we can be better, pay the bills sooner or be with one another.  It's that together, we can bring new life into relationships with Jesus that we could not have done apart.  Suddenly, we have a new purpose.  This week, my wife and celebrate 14 years of marriage.  At this point, I can't remember life without her.  There was a time, though, in the early years, that I could.  Time and life and welded us together.  I don't even remember me before her.  I think that's how church mergers are supposed to work.  There will come a time when we can hardly remember life apart.  We'll be raising new kids together, and no one will recall there was a time it wasn't like this.  We'll just embrace the present.

That day will be here before we know it.  But it wouldn't happen without the faithful pioneers at Harmony Grove United Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church of the Way.  Somebody had to go through the dating and courtship, pre-marital counseling and wedding.  Somebody had to go through the early years.  I'm so honored to serve the men and women of God who have done just that.  After one whole week, on a Saturday night before our SECOND Sunday together, I find myself more excited than ever about ministry.  I feel like a newlywed.  If you're around the area, I hope you'll come check out what God is doing at Harmony Grove Church of the Way or Gwinnett Church of the Way.  You can get directions and worship times here.

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (12.12.14)

I hope you're having a fantastic week.  It's hard to believe that Christmas is less than two weeks away.  This Sunday we'll continue with our series "That Awkward Moment" in which we look into the characters of the Christmas Story and their awkward moments with God.  This week we'll be talking about Joseph.  Hope to see you there!

Also, don't forget to be making plans for Christmas @ Church of the Way.  We've got four different Worship Experiences to choose from:

Grayson Campus @ the SE Gwinnett Co-Op
Tuesday, Dec. 23
6:00 p.m. - Modern Acoustic Worship

Lawrenceveille Campus @ Archer High School
Wednesday, Dec. 24
4:00 p.m. - Traditions Communion Service
5:30 p.m. - Family Experience for Adults & Kids
7:00 p.m. - Classic Experience

Childcare is provided for all services.  Invite friends and family with an e-card here.

Thought for the Week
"The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."  Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel -- God with us.  That is the story of Christmas.  In fact, that's the story of God's relationship with us, really.  We would rather God's story be another one.  We would rather the story be that we never have to go through anything difficult.  We would write a story in which life was easy and we were removed from any uncomfortable situation.  That is not God's story.  God's story is that He is WITH us.  Impossibly and incredibly with us.  In a manger.  Fleeing to Egypt.  With us.  In disease and divorce.  In the loss of of jobs and loved ones.  In tears of joy and cries of laughter.  In pain and suffering.  On top of the mountain and in the valley.  God is with us.  If we could really wrap our heads and hearts around the idea that God is with us, how would that change how we walk through the valleys?  Would we walk with more confidence knowing that the God of all creation walks alongside us?  Be encouraged.  No matter what you're doing through, God is with you.

In Christ,

Carter

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (8.14.14)

I hope you're having a great week.  God is doing some awesome things among us at Church of the Way.  Last night we had 53 students at our One Way Kickoff.  Praise God for what James Savage and our One Way Team are doing to impact the next generation.  I'm super excited about this Sunday as we continue the "Legacy" Series.  I'll be speaking on what it means to leave a good name for those that come after us.  What goes into a good name?  We'll see what God's Word has to say about it.  Hope to see you there an invite a friend!  As always, go to www.churchoftheway.net to send an eVite to friends.

Thought for the Week
"All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."  2 Timothy 3:16

Do you believe that verse?  The implications of that passage are staggering.  I have come to the conclusion that many don't believe it.  We like some ideas in the Bible, but we're not sure if they're all applicable to our lives.  They don't really "fit" our lifestyle.  Let me put it this way.  Doctors tell us that some foods are bad for us.  Now, many of us still choose to eat those foods.  Why?  Well, there are many factors, but here are the main three:

1. We believe we'll be THE ONE for whom those foods don't have an adverse affect.  They might be bad for others, but not for us.  Deep down, we sometimes believe that we won't be negatively affected by those foods.  They rules simply don't and won't apply to us because our bodies will respond differently than doctors predict.
2. We don't care and like them.  Our appetites and desires are powerful forces.  I know cheesecake and red velvet cake are not good for me.  I don't care.  I like them.  I try to practice moderation and only have them on special occasions.  Maybe moderation will help?  It's certainly better than having a piece of cake every day.  I care enough to cut back, but I don't care enough to never have a piece of cheesecake or red velvet cake ever again.  After all, I don't think they're THAT bad for me.  I'll just run a couple extra miles and make up for it.
3. We're not really sure the doctors know what they're talking about.  This is a big one, and it's legitimate.  We are learning new things about the human body all the time.  And what we're learning is that things we thought we used to know we don't know any more.  We used the thing eggs were bad, remember?  And, we all have an uncle or grandma who ate bacon every morning and fried vegetables at ever meal and lived to be 96.  So, for us, this is evidence that Physicians don't quite have our physiology completely figured out.

Now, think about that when it comes to ALL of God's directions for our life found in the Bible.  They are directions for the most full and healthy life we can have in Christ.  If we are honest, we often treat God's Word like eating directions from our doctor:

1. We think not listening to Him won't have as adverse an affect on us as predicted.
2. We don't care and really like our vice.
3. We're not sure He knows what He's talking about.

Essentially, we're not sure it all has authority for us, but this is not the plan for the full life God desires for each of us.  Let me ask you one question:  of all the people you know, which ones have the most full and joy-filled lives, the ones who are most closely aligned with God's Word or the ones who steer farthest from it?  And which one do you want to be?

In Christ,

Carter

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (3.20.14)

I hope you're having a great week and enjoying this first day of Spring.  I can't remember ever being this ready for Spring!  Can you believe Easter is one month from today?  I hope you're inviting friends and preparing your heart.  Easter is a great time to invite others, and our Worship Experience is going to be awesome.  If you've got friends and family that are skeptics, new to faith, exploring God, or unsure about Jesus, it's the perfect opportunity to invite them as I'll be teaching about the basics of the Easter story and why it matters 2,000 years later.

This Sunday, we're continuing our series "How It All Went Down" as we talk about Jesus' Trial Before the Sanhedrin.  If you don't know what the Sanhedrin is, we'll make it all make sense on Sunday.  There are some great lessons for our own lives in these stories.

Thought for the Week
"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness."  Matthew 6:33

I was telling Emily the other day that I can't remember a season of our lives like this.  Well, there's never really been one.  We're in the thick of preparing for Easter and working on building plans for a permanent home.  I'm reading about a book a week in preparation for another couple of weeks of school in May.  And we're chasing around the four baseball teams that our boys play on.  We talked about how we're having to say no to a lot right now.  My focus has been baseball, church and school.  That's about all I have time for these couple of months.  It will be over in May, and we'll breathe, but it's a crazy season.  I'll bet you've had or are having seasons like that.  Family life, work life, and something else all ramps up at the same time.  There are a couple of important things to note in a life cycle like that:

• It's okay to give yourself permission to say 'no' for a season.  That doesn't mean it's a forever 'no.'  There are times you have to choose.  Know that you can always come back and choose differently when that period of life is over.  And let people know that.  Tell them, "I can't know, but talk to me about it this summer or in a year.  I'll be in a different place then."
• Keep the main things the main things.  Where frustration happens in relationships is when people feel like we're short-changing what is vitally important to them.  For me, school comes last of those three.  While I'm going to school to help me grow as a leader (which is important to our ministry), I can take classes over again.  I'll never get watching my boys play baseball back and I'll never get the opportunity back of preaching a message that someone needs to hear or leading our church through this important season.
• Don't say 'no' to God.  It's what I need most, and what I constantly remind myself of.  In the madness, we all need time to stop and exhale so that we can breathe in God's Spirit.  We need a moment in the Bible.  We need a time of prayer.  We need to connect with our Creator.  We need to seek Him first, not last, so that God my be moving and working in all our baseball watching, soccer mom-ing, school reading, client meeting, softball practicing, dance recital-ing, Bible studying, LIFE Group-ing, Volunteering, and family obligation-ing.  

May we seek Him first, even in the busiest seasons.

In Christ,

Carter

Thought for the Week 1.27.14

Thought for the Week
"However, don't rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."  Luke 10:20

I stumbled across this verse this week studying for some future messages.  It stopped me cold.  These are Jesus' words to his disciples after the excitedly return from a season of ministry in which they even casted out demons.  They were feeling pretty good about themselves.  There were getting a little impressed with their own power.  Jesus sets them straight.  "What you think is power is nothing.  The real power gives you eternal life.  Casting out demons seems like a big deal to you because you don't understand power.  The miracle is that you have a spot in eternity."  We are all prone to get a little too enamored with our own accomplishments, even the good ones.  Pastors, coaches, students, athletes, salespeople, physicians, teachers, administrators, and even parents.  We can all get a little too full of ourselves, thinking God sure is lucky to have us on His side.  That's because we underestimate what it took to get our names written in heaven.  There's nothing wrong with wanting to accomplish great things on earth.  The disciples were even doing it for the Kingdom!  Nevertheless, let us never forget that the real power and the real accomplishment was the blood which saved our soul and wrote our names in the Book of Life.  That is something we cannot accomplish ourselves.  And it's reason to be grateful.

In Christ,

Carter 

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (1.10.14)

Hey there Church of the Way!

I hope you've had a great week (and stayed warm)!  This Sunday, we kick off a brand new 3-week series called "Rich People."  We're going to look at what it means to be rich and talk about some of the habits of the wealthy.  We might just find that some of the financial habits at the gurus say are best today have been around for thousands of years.  Perhaps God will even redefine what we think of being 'rich.'  This is a great series to invite friends to that are looking to get a handle their finances in the New Year.

Also, remember we've got Family Promise coming up on Jan. 19.  We won't host families again until December, so let's take this opportunity to love on those in our community that don't have a home.  In the cold months like this, it's especially important how important this ministry is.  You can contact Jim Ramsdail or Kim Navarro to sign up

Thought for the Week
"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you."  Acts 1:8

As you know, I've been in Washington, DC all week working on my doctorate at Wesley Theological Seminary.  I'm still not quite used to the landscape in DC.  It's weird to walk by buildings knowing that decisions are being made in those buildings that will literally impact every person on the planet.  I also know that there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes in those buildings that we don't know and wouldn't understand.  There are a lot of people with a lot of power there.  But it's not really power.  It's a limited control.  Every politician, military officer, coach, teacher, CEO, or bully that thinks they have power really has a little power.  It won't last.  They'll die.  Things will change.  Power is not bad.  It can be used for good or bad.  It strikes me that we forget the power that God has granted us.  We're playing with a stacked deck.  The power of the Holy Spirit lives in us.  This is the power to defeat death, the power to end addiction, the power to give victory over sin, the power of love to trump evil, the power of forgiveness to win over hurt, the power to heal the brokenhearted.  This is true power.  And these are the things that matter.  Know that as you go through life you are not powerless.  The power of the Holy Spirit lives within you.  It is the power that rose Jesus from the dead.  And...IT.  IS.  IN.  YOU.  Tap into it.

In Christ,

Carter 

Prison Break

Have you heard about Ryan Ferguson?  If you haven't, click on the link.  He's 29 and was just freed from prison after being in there for 10 years for a murder he didn't commit.  That's right, he missed all of his 20s because he was wrongly accused.  First, I am very impressed with him and his attitude.  I can't imagine the range of emotions he's feeling.

When I heard one of his comments, I thought about something our LIFE Group was talking about last night.  Ferguson had made the comment that it was very easy to get wrongly accused and put in prison, but very difficult to get out.  Once you're in, you have very little power.  They both pointed to one source as their saving grace:  their attorney.

You know, the word that Jesus uses to describe the Holy Spirit is a word that comes from the field of law.  Many versions translate it as "Counselor."  Another uses "Advocate."

You and I are much like Ryan Ferguson.  We won't get out of prison without an advocate.  Unlike Ferguson, most of us can recount the steps of how we got there.  Now were are stuck.  Stuck in addiction.  Stuck in debt up to our ears.  Stuck in passionless marriages.  Stuck in lies.  Stuck in a career that we hate but can't afford to leave.  Stuck in a pattern of sin.  Stuck in rages of anger.  Stuck being the parent we promised ourselves we wouldn't be.  Stuck in despair.  We're stuck.  Trapped.  Imprisoned.  You won't get out without a Counselor.  You need an Advocate to fight for you.  That Advocate is ready.  And here's the trick.  Are you ready?  Do what the Advocate says.  Can you imagine if Ryan Ferguson would have gone against his counselor's orders?  Can you imagine if he'd scheduled an interview she didn't want him to have or said something to a fellow inmate she advised him not to?  He'd still be in prison.  When you're in prison, you've got to trust the advocate.  Do what He says.  If you listen, if you study the Bible, if you really open your heart up in church, if you seek the counsel of wise, trusted, Christian friends, and if you pray...you'll start to hear what to do.  Now, hear me out.  It will take a while.  You're not getting out tomorrow.  All you're responsible for is the next step.  Take the next step.  The good news is this.  Jesus, through his grace has freed our souls from the prison of sin and death.  That's Jesus' work.  That's done for us through His death and resurrection.  But we often don't know how to live like free men and women.  We have to learn to walk...to take the next step.  Like Ryan Ferguson, you are in a prison you don't have to be in, but get out you're going to have to listen very closely to your Advocate and do exactly has He says.  So listen for the Spirit.  And do what He says.