WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL: REMEMBER GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

George Mueller once said, “It is true that the faith which I am able to exercise is God’s own gift. He alone supports it, and He alone can increase it. Moment by moment, I depend on Him. If I were left to myself, my faith would utterly fail.” 

I came to live by that quote throughout this summer. Since it was my first summer as the Director at South Mountain Baptist Camp, I quickly learned how to fully depend on God instead of relying on my own abilities. This summer was one of the most challenging summers I have ever experienced, but God was faithful to see me through. Now that camp is over, I have had a couple of days to sit back and reflect on our first summer. Today, let me encourage you from the book of Lamentations about God’s faithfulness and may you reflect on His faithfulness in your life today.

The book of Lamentations contains a whole series of laments concerning the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. The prophet Jeremiah writes this book in the aftermath of all the incredible sorrow and loss. 

So what do you do when you are faced with uncertainty, sorrow and loss in your life? How do you keep from sinking down under the weight of it all? How do you find the hope to carry on? After all, we have all been there at least once in our life. Let me share two truths that we can learn from Jeremiah’s experience. 

The first truth is…

I. DWELLING ON YOUR SORROW WILL ONLY INCREASE YOUR SORROW. (19-21)

Now, this does not mean that you should not express your sorrow. It is good to express our sorrow anytime we have loss in our life. In fact, in these verse we find Jeremiah remembering all the sorrows that Israel had recently expressed. And the more he dwells on those sorrows, the more sorrowful he became. Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet” and throughout the book of Lamentations he expressed his sorrow during a time of great loss. We can also read the Psalms and find examples of King David pouring out his hurt, frustrations and disappointments before the Lord in prayer. So, it is good and right to express your sorrow, but we must be careful not to dwell on our sorrow. If we’re not careful, that can be a easy slope to fall down. Something goes wrong in our life and instead of dwelling on God’s faithfulness or goodness, we automatically begin to wallow in our pity and sorrow. I’ll be honest, that is a place I have been before and it’s not a place that I would ever want to go back to. 

Jeremiah shows us that dwelling on your sorrow will only increase your sorrow. 

In verse 19, Jeremiah’s remembering all his troubles, all of his hardship and his straying from the Lord. His memories are poisoning him like a bitter root. When we dwell on our sorrow, we are letting it poison our life with resentment and bitterness. In verse 21, we see that when we dwell on our sorrows it cannot bring hope, only despair and fear. Jeremiah recognizes this when he says, “But this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.” He chooses to remember God’s faithfulness! 

The second truth is…

II. CHOOSING TO REMEMBER GOD’S FAITHFULNESS WILL BRING YOU HOPE. (22-27)

We find in verse 23 the climax of the whole book of Lamentations, “Great is your faithfulness.” God is not only faithful; His faithfulness is great! His faithfulness is perfect, infinite, overflowing, far beyond our human faithfulness. 

Charles Spurgeon once said, “The glory of God’s faithfulness is that no sin of ours has ever made Him unfaithful.” 

God is faithful! His compassion never fails and they new every morning! God’s mercies are fresh and new every morning. Are you thankful for that today? Every new morning is a sign of God’s faithfulness and grace. 

Since March 1st, my first official day as the director at South Mountain, I have learned three things from Jeremiah and I would like to pass them on to you:

• Learn to trust God’s Character – God is good through and through. 
• Learn to trust God’s timing – God’s timing is perfect, He is never early, and He is never late, always on time. I have had a difficult time in accepting this truth at times in my life. But God reminded me of this while we were waiting for the road to be finished “on time”. The problem was, I was wanting it to be on my time instead of trusting in God’s faithfulness and perfect timing. Because I was wanting it done on my time, that created moments of stress and anxiety. I realized that I can trust Him enough with my eternity, but not enough in the here and now. 

Maybe you’ve been there, or that’s where you are today. Let me encourage you to let go and give it to God. Learn to trust God’s timing instead of yours. 

• Learn to trust God’s discipline – In verse 27, we learn that God uses the difficult times in life for good to make you stronger in Him. Too many times we think of discipline as a punishment for sin, when in fact, it is God strengthening your character and teaching you to trust Him through the hard times in life. 

FIVE REASONS WHY WORKING AT CAMP WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Being a camp counselor is one of the greatest summer jobs you could ever have! Don’t believe me, let me give you five reasons why working at South Mountain Baptist Camp will change your life.

1. YOU GET PAID TO HAVE FUN!

Well, we use the term “paid” loosely, because you will work hard, really hard. But, when it is something that you absolutely enjoy, is it really work? Your days are filled with laughter, fun, games, fishing, swimming, worship and being surrounded by strange people that will become your life long friends. I cannot think of a better scenario where you get paid to have fun with some of the people you care the most about.

2. YOU WILL GROW AS A PERSON

Camp is hard, no doubt about it, but working at camp will stretch you. It will stretch you beyond your limitations, it will help you to gain an appreciation of work and how you can honor God through your work. You will learn time management and responsibility. You will learn life skills that you will use the rest of your life. You will learn how to function and operate on little sleep… okay, that may not be the best selling point! You will learn how to multi-task and do multiple jobs at once. You will find your breaking point and then learn how to push through to the end of the day or the week. Yes, camp is hard, it’s fun and it is challenging, but you will be a better person afterwards. Plus, you see first hand that it is God working in you, empowering you to do the things you will do every single day.

3. YOU DEVELOP FRIENDSHIPS THAT WILL LAST THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

The friends that you make at camp are amongst the closest friends you will ever have. You are in the trenches with these people every day, every night for 10 weeks. Will they get on your nerves? Probably! But, the memories you will make and share with these people will last you the rest of your life. You will not only make memories that happened at summer camp, but you will do life with these people. You will experience weddings, funerals and the blessing of seeing each others children play together. In fact, the friends you make at camp will become more like family in the end.

4. YOU WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY

One of the best things about working at a Christian camp is the opportunity to not just strengthen your beliefs, but to put them into action every day. You will learn what it means to “Trust in the LORD” every day as you spend time with Him. You will grow in “wisdom and stature”, you will grow in your knowledge of who God is as you experience Him in every moment. You will see first hand that God is with you wherever you may go as you walk around camp. You will understand that every morning His mercies are new and that He has a plan and a purpose for you as you prepare to face the day. As you draw closer to God, you cannot help but want to share Him with others and tell how He has changed your life.

5. YOU IMPACT LIVES FOR ETERNITY

This is quite possibly the best reason to work at a Christian summer camp! You have the opportunity to be a part of God’s plan and see lives changed for eternity. What a blessing it is to have a front seat to what God is doing! You will never know the impact that you had on a child whether they came to camp one summer or five summers. But you can rest assure that God used you to be a small part in that child’s life for a moment and that makes working at camp worth it.

Let me encourage you today, that it’s worth it to be exhausted for Jesus for a summer. I could share countless stories of how camp has impacted my life both spiritually and physically (maybe I will one day). If you are a teenager and you are looking for a summer job, let me encourage you to come and work at camp for a summer. It will be one of the best decisions you will ever make! If you are interested in learning more about applying at South Mountain Baptist Camp contact me at rob@smbc.camp.

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!

WEDENSDAY DEVOTIONAL: ABIDE

This is the last week of 2022, can you believe it? This year has simply flown by, or at least it has to me. With this being the last week of the year, this will be the last WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL for 2022 as well. I pray that these small, little devotionals have been encouraging to you and that they have helped strengthen your walk with Jesus Christ. As I thought about the last devotion for the year my mind kept turning towards the word ABIDE. This word has a twofold meaning today.

First, in John 15:1-12, John records the Words that Jesus spoke. In these verses Jesus uses the word Abide/Abides ten times in the ESV (English Standard Version). often, when a word is repeated it has significance or importance. Well, that is true here! Jesus tells us to abide in Him because He is the vine and we are the branches. Just like a branch cannot survive or live once it’s cut off from the tree, neither can we when we are separated from Christ. The idea of the word abide here is active. Abiding in Christ is not a feeling or a belief, it is something that we do! For the believer, to abide in Christ daily means that we must do three things:

• Walk by faith
• Spend time daily in The Word (Bible)
• Be intentional in our actions to fight sin, engage with other believers and live in community

Second, Pastor R.C Sproul once said, “Disciples of Christ abide in His Word. Those who abide in His Word know the truth and are free.” When you look back on 2022, maybe there were moments, days or months where you didn’t abide in Christ. Maybe there were moments where you spent time daily in His Word, but not as often as you would have liked. Maybe there were moments where you “gave” in to sin, or you didn’t live in community with other believers as much as you would have liked. It’s okay because “we all fall short of the glory of God” according to Paul. But the good news is, that we don’t stay there!

So, let me challenge you in 2023 to ABIDE in and with Jesus each and every day. Let me challenge you to be intentional to spend time with Him daily in His Word. Get connected to a group of believers that will encourage you in your walk with Jesus Christ. One of the best ways to abide in Him daily is to find a Bible reading plan or a daily devotional. There are a lot of good resources available and I would be happy to help you with that. I have four different devotional books that I will be reading at different times this year (see picture below).

However, as much as reading a daily devotional is good, it simply will not and cannot replace reading and studying God’s Word. The late pastor Charles Spurgeon said, “Visit many good books, but live in the Bible.” I concur with Spurgeon’s words. There are a lot of good books available to you now days, but not a one of them will direct/impact your life like the Bible.

Will you be diligent to ABIDE in His Word in 2023?

Will you challenge yourself to ABIDE daily in His presence and trust Him in 2023?

Links for the devotionals I am using in 2023:

New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

The New City Catechism Devotional by CROSSWAY

The Runner’s Devotional by Dana Niesluchowski and Dave Veerman

Bearded Gospel Men by Jared Brock and Aaron Alford

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 

This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 

And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 

to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,who was with child. 

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 

And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 

And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you to each and everyone of you for spending time with us every week. I pray that you have a blessed Christmas as you celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

FIVE THINGS FRIDAY – December 23rd

Hello and Merry Christmas! Can you believe that Christmas is only TWO days away? This year has seemed to fly by and then the week of Christmas seems to go so slow. But, I am thankful for that. I love the Christmas season and all that comes with it, the lights, the business, the crowds while shopping and even all the holiday snacks that I seem to consume throughout the month of December. (Remember, Christmas calories do not count!) Well, since it is Christmas, this edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY is all about Christmas. I decided to change it up a little and I asked my wife and daughter some questions pertaining to Christmas and I want to share our responses as you enjoy Christmas with us this week. So, sit back and enjoy this weeks edition of FIVE THINGS FRIDAY and we would love to hear your responses as well.

I. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE:

One thing about Christmas, is it’s just not Christmas without all of those wonderful movies that help get us in the mood for the holiday season. Now, I’m not necessarily talking about all those Hallmark movies that seem to play even in the summer months, I do not count those as Christmas/Holiday classics. Movies like It’s A Wonderful Life, Home Alone, Frosty The Snowman, and so many wonderful movies that bring back so many memories as you watch them. So, here are ours…

Gracie: The Santa Claus Movies

Jana: Christmas Vacation

Rob: Charlie Brown Christmas (Home Alone 2 comes in at a close second though!)

II. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SONG & HYMN:

When it comes to Christmas music, I am one of those strange beings that could listen to it all year long. With all the wonderful songs about Christmas, it could be really hard to narrow it down to just one favorite. But, that’s what we had to do and here they are…

Gracie: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus & Mary, Did You Know

Jana: The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole and Silent Night

Rob: It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year & O Holy Night

III. FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MEMORY:

The Christmas season is a time that is spent making special memories and traditions with family and friends. As I think about my own experiences, I am flooded with so many memories of Christmas with my family and all the special memories that were made. In fact, as Jana reflected on this question, she responded with a favorite memory as a child and now as an adult. Thinking through her responses, I thought about how true that is.

Gracie: Her response was coming home after our Christmas Eve service and opening our presents from each other. Then, on Christmas Day it’s spending the day with family and cousins.

Jana: As a child, it was racing her sister home from her maw-maw and paw-paws house to see who could win. As a parent, it has been making Christmas cookies the last ten years with our friends the Siniard’s.

Rob: As a child it was always waiting to spend Christmas Eve at Nanny and Paw’s (my grandparents) with our family. It didn’t matter what the weather was outside, you could always count on Paw having that wood stove blazing hot! So many times you wanted to wear a t-shirt and shorts because you knew you were going to roast. It’s funny how you can’t remember any of the gifts you received but the smell of a wood stove will always be “burned” into my memory. Then as a parent, it’s having the opportunity to experience Christmas through you child’s eyes and the memories that we are creating with her.

IV. FAVORITE PART OF CHRISTMAS:

I have already stated that I love the Christmas season and all that it brings. Christmas music, Christmas lights, decorations, food, family and friends. I asked Gracie and Jana about their favorite part of Christmas and here were there responses…

Gracie: Being able to see cousins and spend time with them.

Jana: Driving around and seeing all the Christmas lights and being reminded that the darkness will never win.

Rob: I absolutely love the “rush” of the Christmas season. I know that may sound weird, but I enjoy the hustle and bustle that comes with getting ready for Christmas. But, I also love the little moments where we get to slow down in the middle of the rush where I can reflect on my Savior, Jesus Christ and the miracle of His birth as He came down to be with us.

V. CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST:

Of course, the celebration of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is the reason that we truly celebrate Christmas. Luke 2:10-11reminds us, “The angel said to them “Fear not: I bring you good tidings of great joy. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” It is through Jesus Christ that we have faith in God’s promise of redemption, salvation and ever-lasting life. Christmas brings us hope in the midst of the darkness that can seem overwhelming. It can seem as though sadness and sin have the upper hand, while the light of goodness and joy are hidden in shadow.

But God’s Word promises us that light is coming to the world in Jesus. Isaiah promises a Savior who will rule the world. “He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” His reign will bring peace and joy to the world. “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.”

I am thankful this Christmas season for the light and hope that Jesus Christ brings to us. May you know Him and the peace that He brings this Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

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.

WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL: Psalm 7:17

“I will give to the LORD thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to name of the LORD, the Most High.” Psalm 7:17, ESV

Most of the time, we thank God for blessings already received from Him. But in our verse from Psalm 7:17 today, David shows us a different kind of thanksgiving prayer.

So, have you ever thanked God for His righteousness as Psalm 7:17 commands? Further, have you ever thanked Him for His righteousness in regards to your enemies and sin?

This is exactly what David did! He thanked God for His righteousness as he awaited his verdict regarding his prayers. David knew that he could rely on God’s righteousness, because everything God does is right and good. David resolves to praise God in the midst of false accusations, slander and injustice.

He says, “I will give to the LORD thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.” This is because God’s righteousness includes abounding love, answers to our prayers, fulfillment of His plans for us, bringing good out of evil and victory out of death. God’s righteousness is coupled with grace and mercy.

When God saves you, He gives you His righteousness. He gifts us His righteousness through Jesus Christ. I am thankful today for God’s righteousness and I choose to praise Him for that today.

Take a moment today and read all of Psalm 7. You may also want to reflect on 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Have a blessed Wednesday.