Going through a dry spell?

Baseball season is my favorite time of year. And the one thing I’ve learned about baseball is that a team will not win the World Series in April. The old saying in baseball is that the season is a “marathon” and that is true for the players as well. For example, the most homeruns hit in the month of April is 14. Held by Albert Pujols (2006) and Alex Rodriguez (2007). 14 homeruns in one month is simply amazing and had they kept that pace they would’ve ended up with something like 98 homeruns! And since baseball is a marathon a player must severe through a grueling 162 game season. They must be able to withstand all the ups and downs that the season is going to bring.
And as I read through Psalm 63, I find the same was true for King David. David obvisouly did not know baseball, but he knew what it was like to go through a dry spell and slumps. But King David knew persistence. And when he wrote Psalm 63, he wrote it from a literal desert!

“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!”

Notice what David did during the dry times. He started recalling all the Lord’s goodness (vv.2-3). By recalling all the Lord’s goodness and God’s strength David was able to find hope. What about you? What do you do when times get tough or you go through a “dry spell?” Let me challenge you, the next time you hit a dry spell in your Christian walk, take a moment and begin to do as David did. Begin to write down all that God has ever done for you. Begin to think about His goodness, his mecry and his love towards you.

On Being a Student Minsiter

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all you ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

The above verses are found in Proverbs 3:5-6 and I have made them my life verses per say. These verses have significant meaning to my personal life but also they describe my heart when it comes to student ministry. I absolutely love being a student pastor!!! I remember when I first felt God’s call on my life and I was like their is no way God is calling me to serve him as a student pastor. I thought God was crazy! But I am so glad that I chose God’s will for my life rather than trying to follow my own will! In the years since God has called me to the ministry I have had several different opportunities to serve him in various ways. I have had the privilege to serve on a church staff and also as an Assistant Camp Director for two years.
Currently I am serving at West Hickory Baptist Church and I could not think of a better place to be able to serve God. And there are days when it everything seems out of whack, difficult, pointless and sometimes unmotivated, but then God reminds me that I’m trusting in my own circumstances instead of Him! I’m reminded that this ministry is God’s, not mine and that it’s a precious gift that God has entrusted me with. (which is very humbling and intimidating!)
How easy and quickly it is to “forget” God in our daily routines of life. And here recently I have been struggling with the idea of how effectively I have been serving God in this ministry. I don’t want to wait til five years after a student leaves this ministry to see the effectiveness or fruits of my labor! My desire is to see that now, to see my students crave the things of God! I desire to see them develop a relationship with God now and to know that He is a living, working and active God who cares about every detail of their life, no matter how big or small! It’s tough to be a teenager today! Life is throwing all kind of junk at them, telling them they need this thing or this thing to be popular, attractive, likable and desirable. But being in a relationship with God they no longer need to seek those things. I love that I get to challenge our students every week to grow in their relationship with God. But I also have to challenge myself to the same things, because if I’m not spending my time with God daily, why should I expect my students and leaders?

Have you spent time with God today? If not I challenge you to take a few minutes and spend time in God’s word. Spend some time marvelling over a God who has called you into a personal relationship with him, who’s heart and desire is to know you and love you! Take a moment to tell God how much you love Him and begin to praise Him for all the things in your day, big or small!

Peter and Baseball

I absolutely love baseball! And one of the greatest feelings in the world is to be able to sit at a ball game and enjoy several things. Things like the sound of the ball “popping” the glove of the catcher. The cracking sound of the bat as it hits the ball, the sound of ground when a runner slides into a base. I love the smell of the stadium, the hotdogs, pretzels and popcorn as the aroma makes its way through the ball park. I love that I get to sit outside in the warm, sunny weather and watch as two teams battle each other over nine innings and sometimes longer.
I also love it when a pitcher gives the batter a good ‘ole “brush-back” pitch just to let him know who’s in control of the game. But sometimes those “brush-back” pitches become bean balls and nail the batter somewhere on his body. If feel sorry for the batters because I know how it feels to be hit with a pitch, it just doesn’t hurt so much in softball! But I like to see how the batter is going to handle his next approach when he comes to bat. Is he going to stay in there and swing away or is he going to be timid and back down because he’s afraid of getting hit again?

This morning I was reading Matthew 26:69-75 and it dawned on me that Peter respionded to a bitter experience in the same way. He had been hit hard by a “pitch” from satan. Just earlier he had promised Jesus that he would follow him, even if it meant death. But then all of a sudden when facing a little unexpected pressure, he denied Christ, his Lord. Now Peter had a decision after receiving such a devastating blow. He could just quit, give up and walk away or he could make the best of failed situation and grow from the moment. And in John 21:15-19, we read that the Lord never gave up on Peter. And Peter got back up from the bean ball, refused to dust himself off and followed through with his decision to follow Christ even more bodly than before! Peter went on to proclaim the gospel and saw many people who would trust their lives in Jesus Christ!

So what “bean ball” have you been knocked down by lately? Are you going to just give up and walk away or are you willing to get back up, dust yourself off, step back up to the plate and lean more on God’s help?

Welcome to The Coffee Shop

Hi everyone, welcome to The Coffee Shop! The Coffee Shop is a place where good friends come together and enjoy conversations about life, love and family over a good ‘ole cup of coffee. Meaniful converations happen over a coffee and I hope that this blog will be no different. As I share stories about my life and experiences I hope you will join in and do the same. My motivation in writing daily came from Hebrews 10:24-25, which says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
I truly believe that friends have a way of challenging us and on the journey of faith, we all need friends who will stimulate us, challenge us and encourage us toward a more active and engaging Christian life. The writer of Hebrews challenged the first-century Christians to “stir up” one another toward a life focused on God and His mission for us on earth.

Who are you “stirring up” on their journey of faith? Can you think of anyone in your life who you are encouraging toward love and good works in their walk with Christ?