FIVE THINGS FRIDAY – 17 YEARS AND COUNTING!

Hello and welcome to the first FIVE THINGS FRIDAY of 2023! If you are new to FIVE THINGS FRIDAY, this is simply a blog about where I will write about the top five things from the week. This may range from sports, music, books, and just the occasional thoughts. If this isn’t your first time with us, then welcome back friends. Well, 2023 is here. A new year that will bring about new beginnings, new friendships, new adventures and possibly so much more. There is something exciting about the first of the year for me. Depending on the previous year, you may be one that looks forward to a new page or a new start. For some, maybe you just enjoy the journey and look forward to where the new year will take you and for some, it’s a new start to see all the exciting things that God is going to do in your life. I am somewhere in the middle of all the above! However, for our first FIVE THINGS FRIDAY, I simply want to focus on all that God has done in my life the last 17 years. As of Saturday, I will be celebrating my birthday and my anniversary (that’s right, I got married on my birthday!) Without further ado, here is this weeks FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

I. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY BEST FRIEND

On Saturday, my wife and I will celebrate our 17th anniversary. That seems like a long time to some and a very short time for others. I don’t know if year 17 puts us somewhere near the middle or close to it, but I do know that it has been 17 years full of love, happiness, grace, laughter, tears and yes, even a few arguments. I am thankful today for each and every one of those moments that God has blessed us with and I do not take them for granted. I could not imagine my life without her in it! Aside from Jesus Christ, she is my rock, my strength and my world. She has also given me the second greatest gift in our daughter, Gracie. But, when I think about 17 years I am thankful for God’s grace in our marriage as we have tried our best to keep Him at the center of our lives and marriage. In fact, He has given us so many blessings that I would not have time to list every single one of them. But, today, I am thankful today that she said yes to that very first 12 hour date. My life has not been the same since that day and Lord willing, I look forward to the next 17 years or more. We love going on little adventures together and I cannot wait to see where God will take us in 2023. Wherever that may be, I know one thing is for certain… she will be right there beside me, riding shotgun reading her books, holding my hand waiting to see where the road takes us. Jana, I love you more and more each day. Thank you for being mine and for being the most amazing wife and best friend anyone could ever ask for.

II. IT ALL STARTED WITH TWO OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS

It’s funny to think about that our relationship started with two of our favorite things. One is camp and the second is baseball. Jana was working as a staffer at South Mountain Baptist Camp and I was a youth pastor that had brought our kids to camp. She was assigned to our church for the week as our staffer and needless to say, it was the best week of her life! (Okay, not really, she couldn’t stand me and all my sarcasm!) But one of the first conversations we had was about baseball. She was wearing her Atlanta Braves hat, so me being an avid baseball fan assumed that she didn’t know the importance of the week. It was All-Star week in MLB and she blew me away when she began to talk about baseball and even knowing where the All-Star game was being played. I don’t neither one of us knew that God was about to change our lives forever that week, but I am so glad that you decided to take a chance on the “old, sarcastic guy.” It is very fitting that we met at a place that holds so much meaning and love to us. We both learn ed to walk there, first physically and then spiritually. We both worked there together, we have had to the privilege to continue to take our church kids there every summer for 16 years and we have had the blessing of seeing our daughter trust in Christ there. I could have never imagined all those times growing up at camp that I would one day meet the love of my life there and then have the opportunity to do ministry with you. It is MY DESIRE to do ministry and life with you where ever God puts us! I am thankful that you “broke” the ultimate camp rule by going out with a counselor! Al and Mischia, if you read this, thank you for giving her permission to break that rule! 🙂 17 years later and we still love going back every summer to the place where it all started and we also still love watching our favorite sport… well, maybe soccer is our favorite now because we seem to watch more of it than we do baseball anymore.

III. CHRISTMAS BREAK IS OVER AND IT’S BACK TO THE GRIND

This week Christmas break officially came to an end as school started back on Wednesday. Yes, it was sad to see Christmas break go, but I am excited for the second semester of school. No, I’m not in school, but I am looking forward to getting back to the craziness of basketball every Tuesday and Thursday as we finish out the season. It has been so much fun to be able to enjoy watching Gracie play, to be able to watch her as a parent instead of a coach. Although, we still have just as many conversations after the game as we do with soccer. (Gracie and I have to dissect every little play, we can’t help it!) But then, I am really looking forward to spring and soccer season with the school and the YMCA. But we also get back to the grind as we continue to train for all of our 5K races and then our 10K race in April. It’s amazing how much you lose by not doing anything in 3-4 weeks. This week I have tried to start back and to be honest, it’s a lot harder. Maybe it’s because I will be 47 on Saturday and my body is trying to tell me to chill, I’m not sure. I am ready to keep you all posted as we finish this basketball season though. We are still waiting for her to score her first “official” points in a game! She has six games left to accomplish this feat, so we’ll see how it goes.

IV. 2023 READING CHALLENGE

I posted in my last FIVE THINGS FRIDAY about having a reading challenge for 2023. So far, I am on pace for keeping up with that plan. I am currently reading two books and listening to one audio book in the mornings when I run/bike. I had a friend recommend a book that I may have to check out even if it is a book about Coach K! I did receive my book “SIGNING THIER RIGHTS AWAY: THE FAME AND MISFORTUNE OF THE MEN WHO SIGNED THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION” this week and I look forward to sharing some of my thoughts with you in the coming weeks. But, what are some books that you have on your reading list for this year? Let me know in the comments.

V. MEMORY VERSE FOR 2023

Colossians 3:16-17 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” I had already decided that I was going to make this my theme verse for 2023 and then our pastor shares this with our church as our theme verse for this year. WHAT? What is the chances of that? (I guess it’s true that great minds think a like…) Paul’s words are a great reminder to us as we move forward in 2023. “Let the word of Christ DWELL in you…” The word dwell means to think or talk about. Today, we have so many voices that are playing into our ears that it can be hard to listen to each and every one of them. Let me encourage you today, that listening the Word of God is the only one that matters. If we dwell in Him, continue reading and studying His Words, He will guide us and show us what is important and true. Will you take time to dwell in Christ today? Will you not only listen to His voice but be willing to obey His Words as well?

What are you most excited about in 2023? I am excited about a lot of things and I will more than likely share those with you throughout the year. But, the biggest thing I am excited about is taking time to dwell in Christ (at least try to) daily. I want to be closer to Him each and every day. Have a wonderful Friday and we will see you next week for another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL – A PRAYER FOR 2023

Hello and welcome to 2023! I don’t know about you, but I always like it when the calendar year turns. For one, I am thankful to God that I am still here to see another year. But that also tells me that He is not done with me yet! (The same goes for you too if you are reading this!) So, the new year is all about new beginnings, fresh starts and new adventures. I am looking forward to seeing what God is going to do this year in my life, my families lives and the life of our church.

For 2023, my prayer and my challenge to you is Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

There are a lot of people today, who will say that “I am a Christian.” However, when you push the envelope, so to speak, you will find that what they mean is “I believe in Christ and I believe the truths of Christianity.” However, if you ask them how has this translated over into your life, more than likely a few will say that “it hasn’t really changed my life.” Being a Christian is more than about just believing a set of facts. It’s more than about attending church or being a moral person. It’s not just about believing something in an abstract way. To become a Christian means that you experience something; that it changes every area of your life.

And that’s what we see in this prayer.

Notice that Paul teaches us to pray that God will strengthen us with His power. His power is the Holy Spirit that indwells inside every believer. Christ lives in you! That is enough to be excited about, but Paul goes on. It’s not just that we believe certain things. This prayer is about much more than believing certain truths about God. It’s that we will be increasingly transformed in the very depths of our being by the one who’s taken up residence in our hearts and lives.

This year, will you DWELL on Jesus Christ and the works He is doing in your life? Will you commit to be rooted and grounded in Him and His love in 2023?

God will do far more than we think or imagine, will you surrender your life and heart to Him and His leading in your life in 2023?

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY – December 30th

Hello and welcome to the last FIVE THINGS FRIDAY of the year. I cannot believe that we are at the end of 2022, this year flew by! The year may have flown by, but thanks to you, you helped make this the most successful year for our blog COFFEE CONVERSATIONS. I am extremely grateful for your support over this year and I am already looking forward to providing you with more content and encouragement in 2023. Well, with that out of the way, it’s time for our last post for 2022. Thank you again for a wonderful year!

Earlier in the year when I first started FIVE THINGS FRIDAY, I shared some thoughts on some of the books that I had been reading. Now that the year is over,I wanted to give you a recap of my Top 5 books of 2022. Also, I am not a fast reader, so unlike some people, I cannot set a goal for reading X amount of books throughout the year. I wish I could be more like that at times, but none the less, I at least try to read a book (maybe two) once a month. Some of the problem may be that I mostly read nonfiction, so it takes me longer to process the information. I try to read fiction, but sadly, it’s harder for me to read. (I guess that means I have no imagination!) These books are in no particular order and they are outside of my daily devotion reading and Bible reading.

I. DODGE CITY: WYATT EARP, BAT MASTERSON, AND THE WICKEDEST TOWN IN THE AMERICAN WEST

Written by Tom Clavin (Tombstone), the book is about Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson in the 1870’s. Clavin’s daunting research tells a great story about how Earp and Masterson came to be friends in a town that was a free-for-all of cowboys, gamblers, gunfights, prospectors and prostitution. It was the original “sin city.” The book tells the story of these two lives long before their infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Clavin is an excellent author, to me, because he dedicates himself to find solid research and reliable sources. That is unusual for today. Most people looking for information will simply do a quick GOOGLE search and read the top 3-5 websites that they find and believe them to be “fact.” This is what makes Clavin an award winning journalist and author. He does his homework, regardless of how daunting the task may be. Dodge City is an excellent read for anyone wanting to know more about Wyatt Earp, Bartholemew “Bat” Masterson or the Wild West. Although he isn’t really talked about a lot in the book, Doc Holliday was a friend of Wyatt Earp. Doc is better known for his role at the O.K. Corral as talked about in his book TOMBSTONE. I share that because that is one of the books on my list for 2023 is “Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend” by Gary Roberts. Maybe I will be able to share with you some of the things that I find out in this book later on.

II. THE WISDOM OF WALT: LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH

Written by Jeffrey Barnes this book is a great tool for anyone in a leadership role. The book shares how Walt Disney had a dream to build Disneyland while sitting on his favorite park bench one Saturday afternoon. Walt had a dream and stuck to it even when others around him thought it wasn’t a great idea or wouldn’t give him the financial support he needed. As you read thorough this book, you will experience Walt’s leadership and model of success. The book offers practical leadership for people of all ages and encourages you to not give up on your own dreams. The author shares his own experiences too of working for Disney for many years. He has a section at the end of each chapter entitled “The Gift Shop” where he gives you a moment to reflect on the chapter you just read. The idea is that the gift shop is the one of the last places you visit at one of the Disney Parks, so you want to take something away with you. My other takeaway from the book is how it encourages you to set goals that are attainable. Too many times I try to set goals that I don’t follow through with or never meet. I enjoy reading books on leadership and this one was enjoyable and refreshing.

III. IT’S HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME: 12 LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES OF DEAN SMITH

This book was written by Pastor David Chadwick and he provides an inside look at the influence and success that Coach Smith had on his players, his family and pretty much everyone around him. After all, being a Carolina fan and a Dean Smith fan, this book just made sense to read. Also, as a coach myself, I am always interested in learning from the experience of other coaches! The thing I loved best about this book (and that I want to take away myself) is the respect and admiration that Coach Smith had from his players and those that worked with him. He deeply cared about his players as people first, not just as an athlete. He truly cared about each and everyone of them. He treated them the same on and off the court regardless of talent or skill. He taught his players that the team comes before the individual, positive words have power and a commitment to character is essential. That last one is highly important to me. I may only coach YMCA soccer, but I still try to instill in our players that their character is one of the most important things about them. I want others to see something different about them and the way they play. There are so many great lessons found within this book, that I highly recommend it to anyone in ministry, coaching, business or in a leadership role. (This book may have been my favorite book of 2022!)

IV. GOOD GAME: CHRISTIANITY AND THE CULTURE OF SPORTS

Written by Shirl James Hoffman this book was quite possibly one of the hardest books I read in 2022. I said earlier that I do not process information fast or well and this book challenged every bit of that. At times I think I could process C.S. Lewis’ books better! Although this book isn’t an easy read, I do believe that it is well worth the time. I do not agree with everything in the book, but I like how he made me think through the culture of sports from a biblical and Christian standpoint. The thing that attracted me to this book is my love for sports and God, so obviously this was no-brainer for me to pick up. The author throughout the book unapologetically calls out the sinful nature of sports and the culture of idolatry that we as Christians have placed on it. Throughout the book, the author urges Christians to take a “hard look” at how we approach sports. Are the sports we watch and play glorifying God or self? I do agree that Christians should strive to model the character of Christ in all aspects of their life, not just in sports. This is a really well put together book and it will be a challenge to finish. However, it’s worth the challenge!

V. SIGNING THIER LIVES AWAY: THE FAME AND MISFORTUNE OF THE MEN WHO SIGNED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Written by Denise Kierman and Joseph D’Agnese this book is a must read for anyone who loves history, but especially U.S. history. This book shares funny and entertaining stories about the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence. I wish this book was written when I was in school! I have always loved history and this book is delightful and saddening at the same time. As you read stories of what happened to these men and their families as they decided to sign their name to a document that would help change the course of history and establish our country as the greatest country ever. The other thing I enjoyed about this book is remembering all the names of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. We all know names like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, but there are so many more names and stories to know that will help you appreciate living in a free country. I truly appreciate the sacrifice that these men made and the decisions they faced that brought them heartbreak or even death. If you enjoy history then you will absolutely love this small book. Even for me, this was an easy and entertaining read. I have already ordered the companion book, “Signing Their Rights Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed The United States Constitution.” Who knows, maybe this book will make my TOP 10 list in 2023.

Well, thanks for reading FIVE THINGS FRIDAY in 2022. I have enjoyed sharing with you my random thoughts over the course of this year. I do want to leave you with a closing challenge. I have included a BOOF OF THE YEAR bracket. On this bracket you will write down your favorite book of the month (January – December) and then simply narrow it down to your favorite book of the year in 2023. Have fun, challenge yourself to read 1-2 more books in 2023 than you did this year and be sure to keep me up to date on what you’re reading.

Thank you for reading FIVE THINGS FRIDAY this year and I pray that you have a wonderful and blessed 2023! I’ll see you next year, folks!

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY – December 2nd

Hello, Friday and welcome to another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. In today’s edition we are going to get “caught up” with all that has happened over the last few weeks. As I was looking back over the other posts, I realized that I have not shared anything from FIVE THINGS FRIDAY since the first of November. So much as happened in that time. So, without further ado, here is this week’s edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

SOCCER CHAMPS!

The Kool-Aid Jammers won their soccer championship defeating the Palletown FC by a score of 3-0. It was by far one of the coldest nights I can remember. The temp that night was somewhere around 49 degrees at the start of the game. However, they persevered through the cold weather and reminded focused on finishing the season strong. I couldn’t think of a better way to end the soccer season. It is so much fun watching these young ladies go out and compete each and every week. I am really excited about spring soccer because so many of them will be playing against each other through their middle school teams and as a coach, I cannot wait to watch those games! As a fan and parent, go GRANDVIEW!

CHRISTMAS PARADE SEASON

It is officially Christmas parade season and our church had the opportunity to be a part of the City of Hickory Christmas Parade. The weird thing is that the parade was the Friday before Thanksgiving, so it didn’t quite feel like Christmas time. But being a part of the parade and seeing all the floats and people in the streets definitely brought the Christmas spirit alive! As you can tell from the picture above it was a little chilly that night. I think the “dancing dinosaur” was one of the biggest hits of the parade! Overall, it was a fun way to kick-off the holiday season and I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas season!

TURKEY TROT 5K

The morning after the Hickory Christmas Parade, my family got up and participated in the Hickory YMCA’s annual Turkey Trot. And yes, as you can tell, it was super chilly that morning. Not only was it a little cold, we were all extremely tired from the night before, so our energy level wasn’t quite up to par for this race. However, Gracie knocked it out of the park and recorded her best time ever for a 5K. Jana and I stayed even with our times, although I felt a lot slower than what my official time said. We are no where near “expert runners” but I am glad that we enjoy running races together. It makes for a fun family time considering that our schedules are some what a little busy at times. We are already trying to get ready for our next race in December when we run the FROSTY 5K. Pray for us as we mentally and physically prepare for the cooler weather. Some people like running in cooler weather, they say it’s easier for them to breathe. I’m not sure if I agree with that yet or not, but I will keep you posted.

Along with running more, I have also purchased a new 21 speed bike that I have been trying to ride more. I don’t know the science behind it, but I can tell how riding a bike as helped my breathing and speed as a runner. I attempted a challenge over the week of November 20th -26th where I was supposed to ride a total of 66 miles… yeah I missed that challenge by quite a few! But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to try it again!

ANNUAL YOUTH TURKEY BOWL

Last Sunday our students competed in our Annual Youth Turkey Flag Football game. This is a tradition that is now 13 years old. It is always a fun time and I love to see our students compete against one another. The best part is they get out and play regardless of their skill level. They just enjoying being together! The High Schooler’s beat the Middle Schooler’s/College by a score of 63-42 this year. As you can tell by the score there was no defense in this game. I think one of Gracie’s highlights of the game was intercepting a pass from her dad! She still “brags” about that, but I will give her the small victory for now. 🙂 After the game we came together for a FRIEDNSGIVING meal, Turkey Bingo and devotion from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

What is something that you are thankful for today? As believers, we have so much to be thankful for, but we sometimes take the things that God has blessed us with for granted. I want to challenge myself to be grateful for the things that God has given me and my family each and every day. Sometimes, I fail at that, but I am trying to be more aware of those things that He has given me.

BASKETBALL SEASON IS HERE

Well, this is a first for our family! We thought that things might slow down a bit after cross country and soccer, but then our girl ended up making the basketball team for her middle school. I was surprised seeing that she has never really played basketball. I mean, she plays at the church with the youth, but that’s about it. Needless to say, we were very proud of her and excited about this opportunity she has been given. We are two games into the season and some of the nerves are starting to go away. She works hard in practice and she is not embarrassed to ask the coaches questions if she doesn’t’ understand the specific play they are working on. She also helps encourage her teammates when she isn’t in the game, which I absolutely love about her. But another thing that she has helped me to remember is that it’s ok to fail. She has never played basketball, but she hasn’t let that stop her from trying to learn the game. Too many times when something is difficult or we don’t understand it, we get frustrated and quit.

As a believer, that is a lot like our Christian walk. There are going to be moments when we don’t understand, we may get frustrated over things, but God calls us to be faithful and walk with Him each and every day. Think about the last time you tried to share the gospel with someone else. How did it go? Did you allow your fear of the unknown to beat you instead of trusting and being faithful to the Spirit’s leading and help? God promises us in Joshua 1:9, “that the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” That is why He sent us the Spirit to guide us and to help us. What is it that you are afraid of today that you are not trusting God with? Maybe you haven’t trusted in Him because you are afraid that the things in your life will change. Well, yes, they will change. We will live to glorify God instead of self. Maybe, you haven’t been to church in a while and you’re afraid to step back into the church doors for whatever reason. Maybe the Spirit has laid it on your hear to share the gospel with a coworker or friend. Or, maybe there is something else going on in your life that you’ve been hurt too many times and you simply cannot “trust” God to help you in those moments. All I can say is that I empathize with you! We all have things that have happened to us. But I can say that all the things that have happened to me have been to bring about God’s glory and how He demonstrated His power, grace and love in each and everyone of those situations.

I look forward to sharing with you how this basketball season will go and keeping you up to date on her progress. But, I also look forward to hearing from you about how God is demonstrating His power, grace and love in your life today. Thanks for reading and we will see you next Friday.

MOTIVATION MONDAY: TURN EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONS INTO A JESUS STORY

Happy Monday, folks. I pray that you all had a wonderful weekend and you now find yourself ready to tackle yet another week. There is just something about Monday’s. I mean some people love them and some people hate them. If I’m honest, I’m kind of lean somewhere in the middle. It’s not that I don’t like Monday’s, it’s just hard to be motivated first thing on a Monday morning. So, I pray that today’s post will provide a little encouragement and motivation as you start this new week.

This past weekend left me with a lot of things to talk about when it came to sports. My Liberty Flames football team took down the Arkansas Razorbacks, UNC beat Virginia, Georgia beat up little ‘ole Tennessee, Alabama lost and sadly, the Houston Astros won the World Series. Now, I say this because if you know me, I could talk all day about sports. Most of you are probably like that too, in that you can have a long conversation about the things you really like. Maybe it’s music, art, books, movies or TV shows, but we talk a lot about the things we are passionate about.

According to a recent study, the average person has twenty-seven conversations per day and both men and women average about sixteen thousand words per day. That is a lot of words and a lot of conversations. However, when it comes to bringing up the gospel, we seem to shy away. For some, they break out in sweat, hives, sweaty palms and our tongues get tied and we find ourselves talking about everything but the gospel.

It’s almost as if the idea of injecting Jesus into our conversations causes anxiety and fear for believers and even some pastors. Too many times we try to over-complicate talking about Jesus. We are afraid of being too confrontational, argumentative or we feel like we have to be some deep theologian before we can share the gospel with others. Simply put, sharing the gospel has lost its simplicity today. But, it doesn’t have to be this way.

I want to challenge you this week to share a Jesus story with someone. What is a Jesus story? It is an opportunity for you to share a brief story about how Jesus is working in your life. You don’t have to share your testimony, although if the opportunity arises don’t let it pass. Sharing a Jesus story with someone can be as simple as encouraging someone who is going through a hard time, having issues in their life, etc. Look for ways to just turn everyday conversations into a gospel conversation or a Jesus story. Simply just be willing to be step out of your comfort zone, be obedient to the Spirit’s leading and share a Jesus story with someone this week. I promise you, it will make a huge difference for that person and strengthen your walk with Jesus as well.

After all, what do you have to lose?

Have a wonderful week and I would love to hear from you and your Jesus story moments.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY – October 28th

Hello Friday and welcome back to another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. I missed last week’s edition due to the fact that I was getting ready for our youth lock-in last weekend. Yes, you read that right… a youth lock-in where we locked ourselves in the church with a group of students for the night, played games, ate a ton of snacks and slept on a hard floor. Oh, did I mention that we did that willingly! It was fun though and I am glad that we are able to provide our students experiences/memories like that. So, a lot of things have happened in the last two weeks, so let’s get started with this weeks FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

I. ANOTHER CROSS COUNTRY SEASON IN THE BOOKS

Last Monday, cross country came to an end and our girl came so close to breaking into the Top 20. She finished the season ranked 23rd and what a season she had! I have been so proud of her and the way she finished this season. After a rough start with colds and sickness at the start of the season, the last three weeks she was at her best and it showed. The fact that her last three meets she finished with times of 17:52, 15:45 and 17:14 is truly remarkable and it shows how hard she worked her tail off to get to those times. As an assistant coach, I could not have asked for more from her over these last few weeks. And as a parent I am overjoyed for her and the time and dedication that she put into cross country this season. Te best part is that she is determined to be a Top 10 runner next year as an eighth grader and I truly believed that she is going to meet that goal. Another area that I have seen the benefits of her running cross country as been in her soccer game this season. Because of the workouts that they have been doing in practice, I have seen how it has made her leg stronger on the soccer field. I love seeing my girl go “beast mode” on the soccer field! Quick side note, not only did she work her tail off in cross country, but she also worked her tail off in the classroom and brought home straight A’s on her report card! That is something that this dad knows nothing about! It’s hard to believe that the next time I get to write about cross country our girl will be an 8th GRADER… I’m not quite ready for that yet. 🙂

II. SLAYING THE 5K RACE

A couple of Saturday’s ago, we ran the Hickory Trick or Trot 5K and Jana and Gracie absolutely crushed it. Gracie, of course finished ahead of me, but just barely. She beat me by 4 seconds, but she still beat me! She finished in a time of 29:57 and finished first in her age group. The remarkable thing about that feat is that this is her third 5K this year and she has finished first in her age group every time. But the most exiting part of our race was seeing all the hard work that my wife has put in to get ready for this 5K over the last ten weeks. All those days of getting up early to go walk and run, even on days that she didn’t feel like it, but still got up, got dressed and went out and put the work in paid off. Not only did she crush her time but she finished third place in her age group! There are not enough words to express of just how proud I am of her! She kept telling herself that she just didn’t want to finish last. Not only did she not finish last, she finished THIRD in her age group and received a metal for her accomplishments. I’m looking for her to take me down in our next race in November!

III. KICKBALL SEASON IN REVIEW

This fall the Hickory Crawdads hosted their third season of adult kickball and it did not disappoint. This was our third year playing as well and the season came to an end last night. There were 16 teams that signed up to participate this season and we played five games with the top six making the playoffs. We finished in 4th but lost in our first playoff game this past Thursday night. Even though it was a tough loss, it still did not take away all the fun that we had this season. I would have preferred to win it all but finishing 5th out of 16 teams is not too bad either! I am not sure what next year holds, but I am thankful to the Hickory Crawdads for offering this once again. They put a lot of work into making sure that the season is a success and I am grateful for their time and energy that they put into it. Also, it was a lot of fun to be able to play kickball with some great friends every week too.

IV. SOCCER AND FRIENDS

“THERE ARE FRIENDS, THERE IS FAMILY, AND THEN THERE ARE FRIENDS THAT BECOME FAMILY.”

On Monday evening we had a soccer game and some of our youth girls came out to show their support for Gracie and Kennedy. Soccer is always fun, but it is more fun when you have your closest friends show up to support you and cheer you on. Thankfully, we got the win since they showed up, but even if we wouldn’t have got the win, Gracie and Kennedy would have been just as excited that to see them. That is one of the things that I love to see with our students and it’s how much they care about each other. When you look at the picture above, all those smiles are genuine! They love each other, they love being silly and goofy, but most importantly, they love being there for each other, encouraging one another and helping to point others to Jesus.

V. SAYING GOODBYE IS TOUGH

Last week our church lost a dear member and friend. Ms. Jonie was 96 years young when she went home to be with the Lord. As we got word of her passing, it did not take long for me to remember her and the legacy that she left not only with me, but so many others in our church. One of the things that I remember most about her is her big smile that was always wearing. She could be having the worst day ever, but she would still be wearing that smile. She had one of those smiles that could just light up a room as soon as she walked in. In fact, you probably know or have known someone like that. But it wasn’t just her smile, it was her personality too that made her presence so welcoming and loving. I have very fond memories of Ms. Jonie from all of our trips that we have taken with our senior adults over the years and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to know her. My life is better because of it!

In fact, as I think back over the last 16 years, my life is better because of so many saints that I have had the privilege to know before they were called home for eternity. I have said before that ministry can be tough at times, but it can also be very rewarding. Having the opportunity to know so many wonderful people is one of those small rewards in ministry. I absolutely love working with my students every week, but I also love having the chance to spend time and get to know so many of our senior adults. To have the chance to sit and talk with them about life, their experiences and their love for Jesus is something that cannot be replaced. So many of them have been an encouragement to me and my walk with Jesus over the years and I am grateful for each and everyone of them. They remind me of why it’s important to be involved and connected with a community of believers. Life is going to be hard at times, Satan is continually tempting us and drawing us away from our first love in Jesus Christ. Our faithful senior saints have been a blessing to me and my family and that’s not something I want to take lightly. Who is someone that has been a blessing to you? Who is someone that has been a source of encouragement to you and helped you in your walk with Jesus? What was it about them that you remember the most? Saying goodbye is tough, but it is not the end for those who have trusted in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Have you trusted in Jesus today?

Well, that’s it for this edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. Thanks for spending a few minutes with me and have a blessed weekend. See you next week for another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY – October 14th

Hello, Friday and welcome back to another post of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. Today is Friday, October 14th and how excited are you that the weekend is almost here? But, before the weekend gets here, we have to unpack some of the things that happened this past week. So, without further ado, here is this weeks edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

I. OKTOBERFEST IS BETTER WITH FRIENDS

Last Saturday after our soccer game, we went downtown Hickory to OKTOBERFEST with some of the girls on the team. I will say that I was a little disappointed with the event this year, but it was good to at least have it back after a two year hiatus. It’s all about baby steps for all of us since the pandemic, right? Anyway, the best part of going downtown was walking to Oktoberfest and watching these crazy girls interact with one another. They had a blast as they took pictures, laughed, and even walked on the train tracks. While at Oktoberfest they all got airbrushed tattoos, went through a petting zoo, held a baby goat, fed some of the animals and ate plenty of snacks and food. I seriously think that one of our girls had at least three snow cones from Pelican’s Snowballs. Although there were not any rides, we still had a lot of fun walking around and enjoying the beautiful Saturday together.

But looking back on the day, the thing that I am most thankful for is the friendship that these girls have. They have a special bond with one another and it shows. They act more like sisters at times! But as I watched them interacting with each other throughout the day, I was reminded of what Solomon said in Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (ESV) As I watch these “silly” girls interact with one another on and off the soccer field, I am beyond grateful that God has placed them in each others lives. In fact, we all need that one friend that “sticks closer than a brother” don’t we? Who is that person? Have you told them lately how much you appreciate them and that you are thankful to God for placing them in your life?

II. HARD WORK PAYS OFF

Michael Jordan once said, “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” This past week at our fifth cross country meet, Gracie did just that, she made it happen. She was finally feeling better, she worked hard during practice and she pushed herself until it hurt in her meet this week. The course we were running on is one of her least favorites, but didn’t focus on the course, but the outcome. We were so proud of her as she beasted it and finished her best time ever, a time of 15:45, good enough for 23rd out of 71. She was hurting coming towards that finish line, but she was determined, you could see it in her face as she ran those last few feet to the finish line. The best part was that as she finished the race and then saw her time, she is more determined than ever to try and beat her time at her last cross country meet next week. Even if she doesn’t, I am just so proud of her and all that she has accomplished this season.

But, I am also proud of my wife as she prepares for her 5K this weekend. For 8 weeks she has been getting up early Monday – Friday and walking and running. Between my wife and daughter, I am excited to see how well they are going to do this weekend. They may leave me in the dust and I quite alright with that. I have enjoyed seeing their progress and how far they have come and I cannot wait to see them run on Saturday.

Ready for the Trick or Trot 5K

III. GARMIN WATCH vs. APPLE WATCH

Recently, my Apple watch of 6 years recently “bit the dust” and left me frantically trying to figure out what to do. I wondered since my face plate just popped off if maybe I could get it repaired, but since it’s an out of date/discontinued watch, Apple wasn’t able to repair it. This was devastating news as I really enjoyed my Apple watch. It was very useful for a lot of reasons, but the biggest one was to help me keep track of my exercise and running sessions. However, I have several friends that use Garmin watches for their running and training, so I checked with them about the pros and cons of possibly getting one. Well, after much investigating, reading up on all the different Garmin watches, and looking at the pros and cons between Garmin and Apple… I decided to try the Garmin watch. After a month and a half I am extremely happy with my decision. I went with the lower end Garmin Forerunner watch and it seems to do everything I need it for. I do miss being able to play/connect my music through my watch, but that’s a minor issue. I really enjoy how it keeps track of your workouts/runs/walks and gives you a recovery time after each exercise. I like how I can load my information into Strava and get a deeper analysis of all my workouts. It’s very technical… a little too technical for what I need it for at times. Also, I have noticed that my anxiety has gone down some since I got rid of my Apple watch, surprisingly. Over all, I have not missed my Apple watch and I really thought I would being such an Apple type person. Gracie had to wear my watch during her last meet and she loved it too, so much so that she has asked for one for Christmas. (We will see, she better finish in the top 10 at her last meet and then I’ll think about it! ) But seriously, if you want to consider a Garmin watch for yourself, you will not be disappointed.

IV. PASTOR APPRECIATION MONTH

October is pastor appreciation month and I could not let this month pass without recognizing some of my favorite pastors. This list could actually be quite long, but I will stick to the few that have made a difference in my life. These are in no particular order, but first I am thankful for my pastor, Pastor Scott Frady. It has been a joy being able to serve/work with you for 16 years! I am thankful for your leadership, your advice, your wittiness and dry humor and I am thankful for the many times you let me just drop in and distract you from your duties and talk about baseball for hours on in. I don’t take a minute for granite and I blessed to be able to serve our church with you! I am also thankful for my youth pastor, Pastor Paul Weakland. Even though that may have been what seems like many moons ago, God used you to put me where I am today. The impact that you have had on my life isn’t taken lightly and I appreciate all you have done for me. Not only did you teach me how to love on students and care for them, but you showed me how to love and care for students. You showed me that ministry is messy and hard, but is so worth it at the same time. I am grateful that you gave me the opportunity to learn from you and to emulate you.

I am also grateful for two of my dearest friends, Pastors Kyle Lloyd and Dustin Lovelace. You guys have been my rocks, my go to’s and my partners in crime for a while now. I have enjoyed every minute, every conversation, every camp, every retreat that we have been a part of. I love seeing your hearts to serve God, I love seeing you serve your students and churches with passion and grace. God has definitely blessed us with the opportunity to work together and that is something that I do not take lightly. I absolutely love hearing you guys preach and share the Word of God with your students. I also love seeing you interact with your kiddos and loving your families. I know I don’t tell you guys often, but y’all are an inspiration to me and I am so thankful for your friendship!

Is there a pastor that God has used to have an impact on your life? Be sure to tell your current pastor(s) how much you appreciate them. I promise you that they do not hear it enough! Like I said earlier, ministry is messy, it’s difficult and at times extremely hard. But it is also hard on our wives and families. Too many times the people we are called to lead are the ones that we end up neglecting because we are leading and working with the sheep that God has entrusted with us. I know for certain that I could not do what I do without my wife. She is my biggest supporter, my biggest critic, my voice of reason and my number one fan! She makes doing ministry fun and I am so thankful for her and all that she does. I am also thankful for my daughter and all her support and help too. She loves going over to the offie and spending time there. I am thankful for her heart for others and how much compassion she has towards others… something that I know is a God thing and that she got from her mother!

V. ROOTED

Last Sunday, we finished a series entitled, ROOTED and I used the illustration of an apple tree throughout the series. The idea was that as believers, we are to be rooted in Christ. We are to let our roots go down in Him in hopes that we will become more like Him. I concluded with cutting into an apple and pulling out the seeds. There are roughly between 5-8 seeds in an apple. Well, if each apple produced just 5 seeds, that means in a lifetime that tree would produce roughly 37, 500 seeds. That’s a lot of seeds! But that is also a lot of seeds that could become trees that could produce more apples. I used this to share with them that if they just planted one seed (shared the Gospel) for every year until they turned 50, look at how many seeds they will plant.

12 years old, you could plant 38 seeds.

13 years old, you could plant 37 seeds.

14 years old, you could plant 36 seeds.

15 years old, you could plant 35 seeds.

The point is that just telling one person per year – planting one seed each year – you could make a big difference. How many seeds are you planting right now? See, when our lives are built on Jesus as our foundation, and our spiritual roots go down deep into Him, our faith will grow strong and tall in the truth and knowledge of Jesus Christ. As a follower of Christ, we want to tell others about who Jesus can be for them because of who He is to us and what He has done for us.

Who is someone that you need to share the Good News of the Gospel with today? We are simply planting seeds, we don’t do the saving, that God’s work, He just wants us to be faithful to plant the seeds.

Well, that is all for this week of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. I pray that you have a blessed weekend and we will see you next week, Lord willing for another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY – September 16

Hello, Friday and welcome back to another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. This week as been much slower than last week which is always a good thing. Sometimes it’s good to not be so busy and to be able to sit down and unwind. But there were some fun moments that happened along the week and I will try to share those with you as we move along. If this if your first time with us, then we welcome you. So without further ado…

I. FALL SPORTS IS BACK

This past Monday our girl had her first cross country meet of the season and kicked off the official start to fall sports. I admit that I hate to see summer go, but there is something about fall sports that gets me excited. Fall sports seems to bring about a fresh start for everyone competing and participating in sports. Not only do we have the start of a new school year, but we get the start of a new athletic year as well. For us, this is cross country and we absolutely love to see our girl go out there and compete as a runner. Practices are sometimes hard and she is worn out when she gets into the car afterwards, but I am thankful for her dedication and leadership that she is displaying to the rest of her team even as a 7th grader. Each practice she encourages others even after she has already finished and that is something that is hard to find now days. I will go ahead and warn you in advance that you will probably see a weekly post about cross country for the next several weeks! But another thing that makes this year more fun is that she will be running against some of her friends that play on our soccer team together or have played together. As a coach it is always fun to see your players who go to different schools and to have the opportunity to joke around with them and still see how you have helped make a difference in their life. I seriously think that I was more excited about this first meet than Gracie was!

But another thing about fall sports is the start of a new soccer season at the YMCA. We have our first game this Saturday and I think I already have the pre-game jitters. Again, I am almost positive that you will be hearing about soccer too in the up coming weeks, so go ahead and prepare yourself.

II. BIG GAME THIS WEEKEND

Ok, so most people are not die hard college football fans and I understand that. However, I am one of those weird fans that I absolutely love college football. And this weekend is going to be an exciting one because my Liberty Flames travel to Winston Salem to take on the #19 Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Am I concerned that all the “professionals” are picking Liberty to lose by 16 points, not at all. For years the “professionals” have always underestimated Liberty. Also, Wake Forest has been known to choke in high pressure games and this is one of those games for them. It should be a fun one to watch, but this game does carry a little bragging rights with it. One of my buddies is a die-hard Wake Forest fan and we have agreed to a little fun wager. If Liberty beats Wake Forest, then he has to wear a Liberty t-shirt for one full day next week. If Wake Forest wins, then I will have to wear a Wake Forest t-shirt for one full day next week. We play on the same adult kickball team and I thought about telling him that instead of the t-shirts, we have to face paints the other teams colors during our game next week, but we aren’t trying to scare anyone! You will have to check back next week for the results to see who wears which teams t-shirt for a day.

III. SUNDAY NIGHT FALL KICK-OFF

Last Sunday we kicked off the start of Fall with a “slime war” and our students had a blast. We made slime and put it in 5 gallons buckets and then gave them blasters and they ran around squirting each other with all colors of slime. We may have had a leader or two covering them with a little powder paint too! It was a great way to help kick off the year as we focused on building unity as we welcomed our new students. But, the thing that I have absolutely come to love about our Fall Kick-offs is the challenges we get to hear from our seniors. This has been a tradition that I started at least 6 years ago and I absolutely love it! Having the opportunity to see and hear other students investing in each other is priceless.

This week we begin our new series ROOTED where we will help students understand what it means to be rooted in God’s love, God’s Word and their faith in Jesus. What are some things that you do with your youth groups to help build unity and enthusiasm? What are some studies that you have done that have been beneficial to the students?

IV. PUMPKIN SPICE CRAZINESS IS ALL AROUND

I have noticed over the last couple of weeks that this whole pumpkin spice thing has gotten majorly out of control. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good pumpkin spice latte as much as the next person, but there is no need to see Pumpkin Spice toothpaste, cereal, waffles, oatmeal, cookies, chips and before too long we’ll see pumpkin spice shampoo… actually it probably already exists. I guess over the last few years I have noticed how the whole pumpkin spice thing has really gotten out of control. Just yesterday, I saw 6 different flavors of pumpkin coffee. I understand people are getting excited for fall and I am in that category as well. I don’t know, is it just me? What is your favorite pumpkin spice food or drink that you look forward to every season?

V. A NEW CREATION

“Therefore, if anyone is inChrist, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, CSB)

Here lately, my daughter, Gracie has started making this snack called “Sugared Grapes” and they are very addictive and delicious. She makes them with Jello powder and then sets them in the freezer for about an hour and they are actually a really great snack. She made them for our church picnic a couple of weeks ago and before I could get any, they were already gone! They had eaten them all up, the whole bunch.

That’s a lot like what happened to you in Christ. Just like those grapes were gone, Jesus made your old nature vanish. When you accept Jesus as your savior, you become entirely new. There’s no trace or crumb of your old nature left in you. That old nature has been swapped for a new nature.

The sin nature is done. It’s gone. Now we have a new nature. And while we are still tempted to sin, our new nature desires to do the right thing. If we stay sensitive to what our new spirit desires, we’ll make godly choices. And when old habits of our old nature pop up, it’s just up to us to say no to those things.

So today, choose to thank God that He has made us fresh and new. Our spirit is recreated and free from sin. Determine to make decisions in light of that new nature. Choose to let that nature rule the things you think, say and do.

Well, that’s a wrap for this week. Thanks for reading and we will see you back here gain next Friday, Lord willing. Have a blessed Friday and a great weekend.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY

Hello, Friday and welcome back. If this is your first time reading FIVE THINGS FRIDAY, welcome and I am glad that you are here. This week has been a little weird, a little busy and a little relaxing. It has a been weird because the summer schedule has ended, so it’s that down time between summer and kicking off our fall activities and events. This little gap has always been a little weird or unusual for me, mostly because for so long I did not know how to handle “down time” and it absolutely drove me crazy. I have learned over the years to utilize this time with calendar planning and allowing my mind and body to rest and enjoy the moment. Now, sometimes that is easier to say than to do. Just like with this week since it was the first week back to school for so many students and teachers (including my own). But, as crazy as the week has been, I still like the excitement and joy of going back to school. I was never one that looked forward to going back to school for the work, but to see my friends and catch up on our summer adventures. What about you? If you are a parent, teacher or a student, how has your first week back to school been? Let me know and without further ado here is this weeks FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

SCHOOL IS BACK

It is that time of the year where summer ends and the start of another school year begins. Even though summer doesn’t officially end until September 21, once school starts, summer is over, right? But the start of the school year brings excitement and anticipation. For students, it’s a new season and a new start. They get to reconnect with friends and maybe even make new friends! For teachers, the anticipation of a new school year starting always brings excitement to them. They look forward to seeing former students and meeting new students. But one thing that I love about teachers, is the joy they have as they decorate their classrooms with anticipation that this year is going to be different. Will their be struggles, issues and stress that come throughout the year, sure! But, at least for the first week they are excited about a new year! I know that teachers enjoy their summers and they deserve every minute of it. But,I am grateful for the ones that have a genuine love and joy to try and change a students life. That’s what good teachers do, they change lives! In fact, none of us would be where we are today if it were not for teachers! Will you please join me through the month of September as pray for our students and our teachers in our communities, our state, our nation and around the world? We must be vigilant each and every day to pray for them. For me, this year my prayer for my wife and daughter is Colossians 3:23.

“Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people.”

SEE YOU AT THE POLE

See You At The Pole – September 28

See You At The Pole is a global day of prayer where students gather around their schools flag pole and pray for their school, their teachers and faculty and the start of a new year. This wonderful ministry has been around since 1990. I have come to love this ministry and I am thankful for the many ways that God has used SYATP in my own life and ministry. This years theme is AFLAME and comes from Romans 12:11-12. “Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord.Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.”

Check out the promo video here and I ask that you join with us in prayer on September 28. Actually, will you join with me in prayer starting today that God will use those students who love Him and want to make Him known to their classmates and teachers, that He will give them strength to stand for Him. I am excited to see God work in the lives of our students this year, but they need your help, your support and most importantly, they need your prayers. But also, we can encourage our students to go and make a difference by sharing the gospel with their peers or teachers, but if our students do not see us living this out as well, the impact will not be as great! So, how you sharing the gospel with people around you? How you allowing God to make an impact for the kingdom through your life, your actions and your words each and every day? If we belong to Christ, then we must be persistent in prayer with all zeal to see lives changed!

CURRENTLY READING

For about the last month I have been reading CANOEING THE MOUNTAINS: Christian Leadership In Uncharted Territory by Todd Bolsinger. This books follows the expedition of Lewis and Clark as they set out to discover a path to the Pacific Ocean. This book is all about adaptive leadership and is a must read for any church leader. It fits well with the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic and how we as pastors and leaders must adapt a new philosophy of leading in a post-COVID society. So far, one interesting key point to me was this thought about leadership: “Understanding uncharted territory: the world in front of you is nothing like the world behind you.” That is a keen observation! As church leaders we cannot simply continue to do “church” the way that it has always been done. Now, most definitely we continue to preach, teach and share God’s Word! That must never change. This book has been quite interesting so far and I look forward to reading it and maybe even gaining some ideas of ways that I can begin to look at church ministry differently. For now, I have only made in a few chapters, but I will try to give a full review after I’m done.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK

Photo courtesy of ESPN

This weekend marks the return of college football and I am stoked about it! My Liberty Flames start the season off against Southern Mississippi. But there are a handful of games that are going tone worth watching this weekend: Oregon vs. Georgia, Florida vs. Utah, NC State and ECU, Ohio St. and Notre Dame, and App State vs. UNC. The App St./UNC game is going to be a great game and I will not be shocked if App St. comes away with the win. September is just a wonderful time of the year for sports fans. College Football returns, MLB is winding down and playoff teams are starting to heat up and make a run, the NFL will be returning, but more importantly, our middle school and high school athletics are back. Gracie (my daughter) is competing in cross country again this fall and we are super excited to go and watch her run. If you are a sports fan, which sports are you most excited about this fall? Do you prefer college football or NFL? Will you be attending any high school football games? Let me know!

LABOR DAY WEEKEND

This weekend is Labor Day weekend and for many it is the official end to summer. (Tears are starting to swell up as I come to the realization that summer is almost over.) I pray that you have a blessed weekend and a restful weekend. Whether you will be at the beach, the mountains or at home, I pray that you will enjoy Labor Day as an extra day of rest.

Thanks for being with me today, have a great weekend and we will see you again next week for FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY

Welcome back (FINALLY) to another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. It has been a hot minute since our last post! We finally made it through summer and a busy schedule that kept me away from writing and sharing with you. So, in today’s blog I want to share with you about our summer, summer camps and everything else in between. Without further ado…

SUMMER CAMP IS JUST THE BEST

It does not matter if you are attending children’s camp or youth camp, there is nothing quite like having the opportunity to experience camp. Summer camp is a special place that will have an impact on children, youth and adults for years to come. In fact, I say the experiences they get at camp will last them a lifetime. It is a week away from technology and all the distractions at home where they get to focus in on God’s Word daily, experience new and unique games, make friends, grow closer to the friends they already have and best of all the opportunity to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

We do children’s camp at South Mountain Baptist Camp in Connelly Springs, NC. To me and many of our leaders, youth and children this place is special. In fact my wife and I have experienced SMBC for pretty much our whole lives (38 and 46 years). Some how our daughter has become a 12 year camp pro already at SMBC. It truly would not be summer without spending a week up on the mountain! This year was such a blessing because the speaker was a blessing to our kids. He, his wife and their two sons did a phenomenal job of sharing the gospel and relating it to kids. They quickly got added to the top of my list as one of my all-time speakers! Everyday is special as we see the joy on our kids faces. They experience Bible study, recreation, swimming, archery, gaga ball, playing in the creek and fishing throughout the week. On Thursday night we end the week with a bonfire, camp songs and testimonies of how God worked and moved in their hearts and lives that week. One of my favorite parts of camp is at the end of the day when we are in cabins doing our nightly devotions. I always give them a chance to share a couple of things about their day and it’s just a good way to end the day. It makes it worth it to be exhausted for Jesus at the end of each and every day!

Children’s Camp at South Mountain Baptist Camp 2023

Youth camp is a completely different beast! It is just as fun and engaging, but the energy level is a little more. We do youth camp at Garden City Chapel and Retreat in Garden City, SC. This is a little different setting because we do our own camp and programming. Also the dorms we stay in and eat in is really just South Mountain Baptist Camp at the beach, maybe that’s why we enjoy it so much! I know one of the reasons our students enjoy it is because we get to be at the beach for a week. Personally, I am not a fan of the beach and the sand, but I love watching our students experience the camp setting. Throughout the week we experience Bible study, crazy (and sometimes nasty) games, worship, themed night life’s and end the day with group devotions. Again, this is my favorite part of camp. My heart if full of joy as our students share about God and all the things they experienced throughout the day. This year was different as our “little” girl who isn’t so little got to experience her first youth camp! Lord willing, she will get to experience many more throughout the years.

Youth Camp at Garden City Chapel and Retreat 2023

THERE’S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

This summer I had the privilege to be able to go to Alabama and speak at youth camp and believe it or not, this was my first time getting to do that. One of my buddies had asked if I would be willing to come and be the speaker for his camp this year and after much prayer I decided to accept his invitation. It was such blessing to be able to share God’s Word with about 40 students and spend a week with them. They had rented a lake house and it was so beautiful there. We go to spend our days with Bible study, games and relaxing in the lake. In the evenings after Bible study we participated in late night activities like karaoke, a game called Under Ground Church and one evening of a silent worship service experience. Since I was traveling to Alabama, my daughter traveled with me to keep me company on the long trip. Needless to say she may have lost her “DJ” responsibilities! But I am glad that she got to go with me and be a part of their camp experience. Kyle, thank you again for entrusting me to come and share with your students from God’s Word for the week. It was an experience that I am very thankful for!

FROM THE OUTER BANKS TO CAMPING

Our family vacations this summer consisted of a week in the Outer Banks with my wife’s family and then we concluded summer with a camping trip to Lake Greenwood in Ninety-Six, SC. Being able to spend a week in the Outer Banks was truly amazing as we spent it with family. If you have never been to the Outer Banks, it’s a long trip there, but worth it to see just how amazing God’s creation truly is. Even for someone who doesn’t like sand, being in the Outer Banks is a sight to see. While there I found this awesome little coffee shop (Front Porch Cafe)that I was able to go and spend sometime at while reading over my sermons for camp in Alabama. We also go to experience the dunes at Kill Devils Hill and the Wright Brothers National Memorial. It was neat seeing the place where Duck Doughnuts was founded as well! After the Outer Banks and all of our summer camp adventures, me and my girls spent a few days at Lake Greenwood State Park. Of all the State Parks in South Carolina we have visited so far, this one may be at the top of my list. There was absolutely nothing to do except sit around and relax and play in the lake. One evening, it was a little creepy as we were the only ones in the lake. There were no other people, no boats, no jet skis, nothing. But it was so much fun for us and the sunsets each evening were absolutely gorgeous. If you like exploring State Parks then I highly recommend checking out Lake Greenwood.

GOOD-BYE SUMMER

Well, finally another summer has come and gone. This summer by far seemed to be one of the busiest ones yet, but it was still a great summer filled with memories, laughter and God’s working. It is always a little sad to see summer come and go, after all, it is my favorite season. And even though summer doesn’t officially end until September 22nd, as of this coming Monday another school year is upon us. My wife will be starting her seventeenth year teaching and Gracie will be starting her seventh grade year and second year of middle school! All of us hate to see summer go but we look forward to new adventures, another season of fall soccer, cross-country and anything else in between. Thanks for taking a few moments to read FIVE THINGS FRIDAY even though it was more like THREE THINGS FRIDAY today. I look forward to being able to write and blog more regularly now that summer has wind down. Have a great Friday and we will see you next week.