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.

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 7

Hello and welcome back to another FIVE THINGS FRIDAY! As we prepare to enter the weekend, I want to begin by asking you, what are you thankful for today? For me, I am thankful for longevity. As of October, I have been blessed to be at my church for 16 years. God has blessed me and my family with the opportunity to be able to serve Him in one place for so long. There are also a couple of other reasons that I am grateful for 16 years in one church. According to a recent survey (YMlink.com) the average stay for a youth pastor is 18 months to 3 years. The average tenure for youth pastors is anywhere between 8-11 years. As I begin FIVE THINGS FRIDAY, I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity to blow those two statistics out of the water. Not only have I been at West Hickory for 16 years, I have been in ministry a total of 24 years all together. I am beyond grateful for this and I would not change this experience for anything.

So, what are you thankful for today? That is what this weeks post is all about, thankfulness. So, without further ado, I give you this weeks edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

I. CROSS-COUNTRY MEETS

This may sound strange, but I am thankful for cross-country meets. To be more specific, I am thankful that I get the opportunity to help our cross-country coach every Monday during our meets. I am also thankful that I get the opportunity to help assist him with practices every now and then too. It’s fun to be there for the students, to help cheer them on and to see how much they improve from week to week. It is amazing to me to see roughly 60 students compete every week. But not just compete, but to compete in running two miles every Monday. As a middle schooler, I would have no desire to try and run two miles! I loved playing baseball and running bases after every practice. To run two miles is a huge accomplishment. Also, it is fun to watch the girls run since there are several of them that have played or play on our soccer teams. So, not only am I cheering for my daughter and Grandview, but I also want to see “my other girls” succeed!

Cross Country Meet at Newton Conover Middle School

See, being able to be at a church for 16 years as allowed me to help out and be a part of our middle school athletics. It gives me the opportunity to be a part of our community and that is something that I do not take lightly. Also, I just love being around sports and watching students compete. To watch them run every week reminds of 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only receives the prize. Run in such a way to win the prize.” (CSB) During the 1st Century, those competing in the Isthmian games, which was every two years, would compete to receive a laurel wreath. Not everyone got a prize! However, as Christians, our prize is Jesus Christ, so we run our race to live a life of dedication to Him and to be a witness for others. How is your race going today?

II. SOCCER SEASON AND THE JOYS OF COACHING

Okay, after 7 years of coaching soccer, I am still getting use to calling myself a soccer coach. I never thought that I would be that person, but I have come to find the joy in coaching the sport. In those 7 years, God has put some wonderful and amazing people in our lives. I am thankful for that and for the opportunity to be able to coach their daughters. I love seeing the friendships that have been formed along the way too. However, the biggest thing that I am thankful for is seeing our girls enjoy the game of soccer, but it’s not their life. They play for each other because they care about each other and they want to help each other be a better player. They push each other, they challenge each other but they also deeply care about each other. This season in particular has become more than just about soccer. The girls, just like us, have things going on in their lives.

“My coach said I run like a girl, and I said if he ran a little faster he could too!” Mia Hamm

It is a blessing to see them care for each other and talk to each other about things going on in their lives. I know that they are encouraging one another, but I have to say, it encourages me just as much. I am also thankful that when other teams see us play, they know that our girls are different. It really reminds me of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” (CSB)

As believers, we have the privilege and responsibility of representing Christ to others through the way we live. Our lives point to Jesus. So it’s important that we ask ourselves daily, “Is what I have on display right now going to lead people to Jesus or is it going to turn them away?” I am thankful that for many of our girls, they represent Christ to others and that is more beautiful than seeing them win a soccer game any day of the week.

III. KEEPING PROMISES… EVEN IF THEY HURT

A couple of weeks ago, I made a deal with one of my buddies over a college football game. My Liberty Flames were playing the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and my buddy and I agreed that if our team lost, then we would wear their teams shirt for a day. Well, unfortunately my Flames fell short and lost by one point. So, sadly a deal is a deal and I had to wear this hideous looking Wake Forest shirt for a whole day. I did take it off that evening because we had a kickball game and it wasn’t part of the uniform!

But as I wore this shirt throughout the day, I was reminded of more than just having to wear the shirt. I gave my buddy my word and I wanted that to mean something. In Matthew 5:37 Jesus says, “But let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. Anything more than this is from the evil one.” (CSB) We live in a world where our “word” does not mean anything anymore. I know that there are times in my life where I have fallen short in this area. But, lately, I have been trying to be consistent with this as I try to model it more each day . Jesus’ words remind me that our commitment to what we say is a direct window into who we really are. It is a mirror of our integrity. As a Christian, I want to do better. I want others to see Christ in me and that means letting my yes be yes and my no be no. I am not perfect in this area, but I am working on it. When was the last time you broke your word? Have you confronted the person you broke your word to and asked for forgiveness? This is something that must be done as we strive to show others that we are living to represent Jesus Christ in all that we do… in word or actions.

IV. OKTOBERFEST WEEKEND AND 5K’s

This may sound strange, but I am thankful for random opportunities in October. One of those opportunities is OKTOBERFEST here in Hickory, NC. This will be the first time since the pandemic of COVID-19 that we are able to have this event. I know for many, they like OKTOBERFEST for other reasons, but I enjoy it because it gives us an opportunity to be out in the community and connecting with people that we typically wouldn’t get the chance to have. Typical, our church has sponsored a booth during the weekend, but not this year. My family still enjoys going downtown and walking around seeing all the booths and vendors. We also enjoy the food too! Some of my favorite foods to enjoy are the kettle corn popcorn, funnel cakes the BBQ. I saw where Duck Doughnuts will have a food truck here for the weekend, so I am definitely excited about that! It is supposed to be a beautiful weekend and I cannot wait to get out and enjoy the festivities once again.

Also in October, we are signed up to run in the local Trick or Trot 5K. Be sure to check out the link to sign up and come run with us! We are going to use this 5K as a “warmup” to our runDisney 10K later next year. As of this week, it has been 8 weeks since my wife and I have been consistently training for our 10K. She has made better progress than I have over those 8 weeks! I may or may not have missed a few days, but she has been consistent and steady. With our daughter running cross country and her consistent training, they are going to leave me in the dust. We still have another week before our 5K, so maybe I can get into “race shape” before then!

V. LOOKING BACK ON 16 YEARS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

I stated earlier that I have been at our church for 16 years this October. That is truly amazing to me to sit back and think about that. I mean, think about all that has happened in the last 16 years. In that time I have witnessed four presidents serve our country (Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden). In sports, we have seen the Chicago Cubs win a World Series, my beloved Boston Red Sox win THREE World Series and the Braves winning it all last year (and maybe this year!) We have seen our world and our lives impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We witnessed a massive earthquake in Haiti that killed hundreds of thousands of people. We saw 33 miners rescued after being trapped for 69 days in a Chilean mine. I am sure that there are many more things that have happened in the last 16 years.

What is one of the biggest things you remember?

However, two of the biggest things I am thankful for in the last 16 years is the birth of my daughter and then her profession of faith to follow Jesus Christ and being able to baptize her. Those two things are super special to me and rightfully so. I am also thankful for the people and the students that have been a part of our lives and ministry during this time too. It’s weird to think that many of them are now starting their own families! It’s also special to work with my pastor who has been here for 17 years! That is truly remarkable to think about because it’s so rare today. The average time for a senior pastor at a church is 5-7 years. There have been ups and downs in that time. We have lost people that we cared deeply for and some too soon. We have seen God work in and through His people in beautiful ways. But as I look back on all this, the one thing that it shows me is just how faithful God has been. He has blessed us with a wonderful church family, friends and opportunities to be invested in our community. And I do not take that for granite.

However long God sees fit for me to serve him at West Hickory, my prayer is simply 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” (CSB)

Thank you for joining us today on FIVE THINGS FRIDAY and I pray that your Friday is simply the best. We’ll see you next Friday for another edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. Blessings.

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.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY

Hello, Friday! Welcome back to another FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. I pray that your week has been well and that you are ready for a weekend of rest and relaxation, especially all the moms! That’s right, this weekend is Mother’s Day, so today’s post is mostly dedicated to three very important mother’s in my life. So, without further ado, here is this weeks FIVE THINGS FRIDAY.

1. ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

It is said that all good things must come to an end. I’m not sure if they really come to an end as much as we continue on with the next part of the journey. However, I am saddened to have our soccer season come to an end. This week we ended our soccer seasons, both at Grandview Middle School and the YMCA (our championship game is on Saturday.) It was so much fun to watch our lady eagles play this season and although the season ended with a loss to our rivals, it was anything but a disappointing season. They embodied what it means to be a team. They cared for each other, they looked out for each other and they supported each other. In one of the best games of the year, we lost a game in penalty kicks. Actually, it took three rounds of penalty kicks to decide the game. But after a two hour plus game, the one image that stands out to me is as soon as the opposing team scored the winning goal and began to celebrate, our team was cheering louder as they embraced our goalie with hugs. They refused to let her get down on herself and they were right there to pick her up. That is true sportsmanship at its finest. So, yes, I am a little sad to see this season end, but I look forward to next season and all that it will entail. Thanks for joining us this season and reading each week about some amazing young ladies.

Grandview Eagles prepare to play against Northview Hawks

2. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

This weekend is Mother’s Day. I am grateful to all the mother’s out there and for your dedication and sacrifice you make each and every day for your family. This poem describes perfectly just how amazing and precious a mothers love truly is. To all moms this weekend, Happy Mother’s Day!

“A Mother’s Love”

A Mother’s love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may,
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away,
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters

— Helen Steiner Rice

3. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO MY MOM

I am so thankful for my mom and all that she does for me and our family. I am thankful that God allowed me the opportunity to be raised in a Christian home with parents who embodied what it meant to serve and be a Christ-like example to others. I am thankful that my mom taught me at an early age how to cook. In fact, the first thing I ever learned how to cook was scrambled eggs. There are still times that I enjoy calling her and asking her about certain ingredients or directions about foods I prepare for my girls. I am thankful how she taught me to love Jesus, serve Him and treat others with kindness and love. (YES, there are days that I fail at that miserably!) I love how she finds joy in always wanting to cook for her family. (One of these days I will make pintos that taste just as amazing as yours!) I love her coconut cakes and candy cane cookies, two of my all-time favorites! I love the memories that she tried to give us as children and how my sister and I have tried to pass along some of the same ideas to our own daughters. Mom, I pray that you know just how much that you are loved and adored by your son! I love you and wish you the best Mother’s Day yet.

4. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO MY MOTHER-IN-LAW

I want to go on record by saying that I have the best mother-in-law EVER! I simply could not have asked for a better human to be my mother-in-law. I am so thankful for everything that you do for our family, the way that you put up with your crazy son-in-law (well, at least this one!) I am thankful for the love that you gave to your daughters and the example that you gave them for what a wonderful mother looks like. I see so much of your example in Jana and the way that she treats people, cares for others, and is always willing to lend a helping hand. I love the Christ-like example that you show each and everyday! I cannot say it enough, but you are truly the best mother-in-law ever! I love you and have a blessed Mother’s Day.

5. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO MY WIFE

Jana, I absolutely adore you! I do not have enough time nor space to tell you how much I love you, how grateful I am for, and how thankful I am for you. I am so thankful that God sent you to me and I am thankful that He has allowed you to be Gracie’s mom. You do an amazing job at being her mother, her best friend and her number one fan! I know that she may not realize it right now how amazing her mom is, but there will be a day when that reality hits. It is fun to just sit back and watch you interact with her, laugh with her and at times snuggle with her (when she lets you.) I love that you are her “loud, proud, soccer mom” and how you are constantly cheering her on. (Also, the other girls like you being the “loud, proud, soccer mom too!)

Jana, I love you more than words could ever say. Thank you for saying “YES” and joining me on this amazing journey that God has blessed us to be on. I love our adventures, but more importantly, I love being on those adventures with you. Happy Mother’s Day to you, my love!

Thanks for joining me for FIVE THINGS FRIDAY and we will see you next week.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY

Hello and welcome back to another FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. I apologize for missing last Friday, but I was slowly recovering from running my 10 Miler race. Actually, I think in some ways I am still recovering! 🙂 Anyway, we are back with a brand new FIVE THINGS FRIDAY, so here we go.

1. RACE WEEKEND AGAIN

This Saturday, we are signed up to run in yet another 5K. We are running the South Mountain Baptist Camp 5K. It’s kind of funny that in the 16 years that Jana and I have been married, we have ran ONE 5K race until this year. I will not say that we are turning into professional runners (we are long ways away from that actually), but I think we enjoy the walk/run of 5K’s to keep us active and give our minds a break from the craziness and stress of day to day life. I love listening to podcasts and music while Jana enjoys listening to her audio books while we walk/run. Every now and then it’s nice to walk together without our AirPods and just enjoy the each others company! This race our daughter is more than likely going to smoke us, but that’s ok. We are not medal “hunters” by any means. It’s funny that after doing a 10 Miler, I don’t feel as motivated or ready for this weekends 5K. I think that it may have something to do with the fact that doing last weeks race was one of the hardest things I have ever done physically and emotionally. Not sure if I will try to run and beat my other 5K time tomorrow or just enjoy the race and walk/run withy wife, but either way I am looking forward to waking up on Saturday morning and going to race. There is something about race day’s that get you a little more excited/pumped! I will let you know how we did on next weeks FIVE THINGS FRIDAY. Do you think Gracie will beat her last 5K time in Saturday’s race? (I do!)

2. BASEBALL IS BACK

Tonight is the season opener for my Boston Red Sox and we open the season against the dreaded New York Yankees. These games are always great and for fans of either team, you live and breath on every pitch regardless of whether it’s game 1 or game 18 between the two. It is one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. To be honest, this rivalry is better than the UNC/Duke rivalry because it outdates UNC/Duke by a lot. The first game between the Red Sox and Yankees was played on April 26, 1901, that is over 120 years ago! UNC/Duke first played each other in 1920, but it wasn’t a rivalry until Coach K took over as the head coach at Duke. The Red Sox were the more dominant team in those first years until 1919 when New York got a player named Babe Ruth. From then on the Yankees would go on to become one of the best teams ever winning 27 World Series titles and multiple Hall of Fame inductees. This rivalry has created some of the best moments in MLB history and will continue to do so I believe. I cannot say anything to take away from their success, but don’t expect me to start pulling for the New York State Penitentiary team anytime soon… they are still the worst team ever! Regardless of who wins Opening Day, I am excited to have baseball and my Red Sox back!

3. Grandview Ladies Soccer

Middle school soccer is in full bloom and our lady Eagles are tied for 1st place. This has been one heck of a season so far and we still have a lot of games left to play. It has been fun to watch them play and see their enthusiasm for the game. I am highly impressed with Gracie and how she is maturing everyday! She is a sixth grader and she has already established herself as a defensive presence on the team. In our game yesterday, we up 6-0 and our coach decided to let everyone play. That meant that Gracie got to play up on offense and she ended up scoring two goals! It was so much fun and I am so proud of her. I love having the chance to just watch her play without having to worry about trying to coach and manage the game. I also enjoy our conversations about the game afterwards and hearing her talk about all the things that she did right or could have done better. She has quickly become a student of the game.

Grandview Middle School vs River Bend Middle School

4. NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK

This week is National Library Week and I have to give a shout out to my all-time favorite librarian, my wife! Not only is National Library Week, but she has been busy working her schools Book Fair too. She has been a buy-bee needless to say this week. It has been a joy to hear all of her stories each day and I am so proud of the way she inspires the kids at her school to read and invest in books early on in life. So many students love going to the library, hearing her read to them and hearing the joke of the day (sometimes they are a little cheesy, but that’s why I love her!) Seeing her make the transition from the classroom to the library has been a joy. Sure, she is still worn-out at the end of the day, but it’s her passion that she has everyday for the library and the kids. So, be sure to give her a shout out for being a terrific librarian because she deserves it! She is by far my favorite librarian ever. Jana, I am so proud of you and I hope that this week has been a blessing and joy for you. Keep up the work and keeper reading, babe.

NATIONAL LIBRAY WEEK GIFTS

5. ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND

It’s Friday which means it’s time for the weekend! What are your plans for this weekend? I pray that whatever your plans are, have a great one and enjoy the weather. We’ll be running a 5K, playing a soccer game, watching some baseball and enjoying some downtime from our busy schedule.

Thanks for joining me for FIVE THINGS FRIDAY and I look forward to seeing you next week. Have a great weekend and happy Friday.

The Hunger Games and Youth Ministry

With all the excitement brewing over the up and coming “Catching Fire” movie, which is the second book in Suzanne Collins trilogy “The Hunger Games” I thought I would share some insight about The Hunger Games and Youth Ministry. Now my wife will probably get a laugh out of this idea, because she has knows that us youth pastors love to take movies, songs, books and “geek” them out for youth ministry! But I promise I will try to not “geek” this article out too bad 🙂

I have been thinking more about youth ministry and the students and families I serve more than usual lately. In that thinking I’ve began to realize that youth ministry is a lot like training our students and families to be missionaries and knowing the big picture of Scripture and not just games, gimmicks and a “devotional” to top the night off with. I am all about having fun and I enjoy seeing our students having fun and laughing, but I hope that I care more about them than to just give them a fun time in youth and send them home. My hope and prayer is that every one of our students who enter through our doors are being trained and equipped into missionaries who will take the Gospel and share it with a  lost and dying world. I want our students and families to see how their lives should grow out of the mission of God!

Students, whether in middle school or high school are not just adolescents or children trying to finish their school years. They are young men and women who are growing towards making an impact in the adult world. So, this is where my “inner geek” comes out in my example of The Hunger Games.  In book 1, we meet a character by the name of Haymitch who is a former Hunger Games victor and current drunkard. His role is to help lead Katniss and Peeta not to just survival but to victory. Despite Haymitch’s perpetual state of drunkenness, he ultimately provides counsel and aid in the mission of his two protégés. Unlike The Hunger Games we do not live in a fictional world tat is set in the future. We live in a real world now! And we have an even greater task which is to provide training and support for a generation of students who have a much greater mission than just survival. Like Haymitch, we must not only be ready to help our students survive, we must help them fulfill the mission of God and in so doing, find life.

Are we training and equipping our students and children to serve God as missionaries in this world? Are we teaching them to be missionaries in their day-to-day activities and adventures? Aside from the drunkenness part, I hope that I am equipping and aiding my students and families with the Gospel, so that they may become missionaries sharing the Gospel in this dark and dying world.

My Summer Reading List

This Summer I have committed myself to being a better steward to reading than in the past. (I like to read but sometimes I let my lack of concentration get the best of me!) Summer is always a great time for ministry because it allows you to experiment and try new things and new approaches to reaching people.

Summer is also a great time to devote oneself to reading just a little bit more than usual. For example, my wife is a school teacher and she does not get to read (for enjoyment at least) as much as she would like, but now that school is out she can very easily finish 2 books in  a given day. I love that about her because she has enhanced my desire to want to read more. I was always the student/person who only read because it was required for a grade not enjoyment! So, this summer I am only focusing on a few books that I am excited to read and I wanted to take a moment and share those books with you.

1. Disciple: Getting Your Identity From Jesus by Bill Clem
2. The Invested Life: making disciples of all nations by Joel C. Rosenberg & Dr. T.E. Koshy
3. Leaders Who Last by Dave Kraft
4. Blaze of Glory by Jeff Shaara (A Book about the Civil War)

Well, there it is! I know it’s not a very exhaustive list but it’s long enough to conquer in the next couple of months, maybe my Fall list will be a little longer (I doubt it!) Have a great summer and I pray that you create a Summer reading list for yourself as well! Until next time…

My Current Book List

Occasionally, I try to post an article about the recent books I’m currently reading or have read. Now all the books I will share I have not read yet, but I am looking forward to reading them in the near future. So, here we go…

1. Follow Me by Pastor David Platt. This book is a great reminder/challenge of what it means to truly be a follower and disciple of Jesus Christ. David Platt looks at the steep price that Peter, James, John and Andrew paid when they chose to follow Christ. Peter was crucified upside down, Andrew was crucified in Greece, James was beheaded and John was exiled, yet they believed it was worth the cost.  This book has also been developed in a Bible study and we are using this in our student ministry on Sunday nights. It has been a very rewarding and encouraging study for our students and leaders!

2. SENT by Hilary Alan. I loved this book because it went right along with the message of “Follow Me.” It is also a very easy read without all the big church words that some authors like to use and go over our heads. This book is the story of a family from North Carolina and how they decided to leave the comforts of their everyday life and have given their lives to advance the work of Christ internationally. It’s message is simple but also convicting and one will not be able to read through this book without thinking about their own walk with Christ.

3. To Stir A Movement by Jeremy Affeldt. This is a book I’ve been excited about reading for sometime and it was finally released in April. It’s the story of Major League Baseball pitcher Jeremy Affeldt and his desire to help stop injustices around the globe. Jeremy shares how baseball has given him the stage to be more involved with organizations like “Not For Sale” and help out first hand in rescuing children and people from slavery. He shares his passion for the game of baseball and for the work of God! Jeremy Affeldt is a two-time World Series winner with the San Francisco Giants.

4. The Just Church by Jim Martin. Jim is the vice president for International Justice Mission, where he works to connect/share with churches and organizations about their relief effort to stop injustice around the globe. This book will share and challenge individuals, churches and organizations tangible ways to become more involved in God’s call to seek justice, help the widow’s, orphans and the oppressed.

5. Who Do You Think You Are? by Pastor Mark Driscoll. I have loved reading this book so far. Driscoll is great at writing and I could read him all day long! In fact, I’ve never read a bad book that he’s written yet! This book is all about finding your true identity in Christ by exploring the book of Ephesians. So many people struggle with their identity and who they are and Driscoll shares that our identity is grounded in Christ alone! This book also has a study guide to go with it that you can download for free at Mars Hill Church.

I also have other books that I am trying to get to, it’s just taking me a little time! But so far, I have enjoyed reading the books I shared above and would recommend them to anyone else too. I am not one that reads a whole lot, it takes me “time” to read through one book! That is where my wife has rubbed off on me, she can wake up on a Saturday morning and have read 2-4 books by that night! It’s crazy, but I admirer that in her! Well, until next time, keep reading, keep learning and we’ll talk with you then!

 

Thankful For My Seniors!

 I have noticed over the last few days that people on Facebook are posting things that they are thankful for everyday. I typically try to refrain from following the crowd with things like this, however, I do want to share over the next several days some of the things that I am thankful for in ministry. I am thankful for my wife, daughter and family, in fact I wouldn’t be the person I am today without them in my life! I am also thankful for what Jesus has done for me and all other Christ-followers by submitting Himself to the Father, dying on the cross and raising again on the third day, so that we may have life anew!

So today, I am thankful for the two seniors (Sierra Jackson & Abbey Parlier) in our Student Ministry who will graduate this coming May. I am thankful to God for ALL of the students in our ministry and church, but Seniors get the first recognition since they’ve been around the longest 🙂 When I think about Abbey and Sierra, I am reminded of what Paul says in Philippians 1:3-6, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

When I first came to the church these 2 young ladies were just mere little, goofy, crazy sixth graders and they have grown into two beautiful God-fearing, crazy and goofy young women. It has been an amazing journey watching them grow spiritually and physically. I am extremely proud of the young women they have become and how they strive to place God at the center of their lives everyday. It has been an amazing journey over the last six years and I cannot wait to see how God is going to continue working in and through your lives. I am thankful for the legacy that the two of you will be leaving on your youth group and for the role model that you are and have been to our other girls. May the both of you continue to live your life for God and His glory in all that you do. (Yes, even in dance and clogging you still bring Glory and Honor to God ;_)).

Always know that Jana and I love you more than our words can ever say!