Gracie on Winter Life-Guard Duty!

You are special and you do matter! It does not really matter what anyone else thinks or what they have to say.  Life is tough and it seems to be getting tougher, but you are a special creation of God.  There is not another you anywhere.  Don’t let this world or the tough situations of life get you down.  Don’t allow anyone else to count you out!

Get up and get going! God has an amazing plan for your life and God will take the bad, frustrating and discouraging and use it for your good as you trust and love living in Him.

As you wander through this life, you will stumble across many treasures. Some will be found easily and some will require much effort.  Treasures are not placed along life’s path by accident.  Treasures are placed on you path on purpose and for a purpose by our Creator and they are intended for our blessing and growth.

I often wonder how many treasures I have missed out on, because I was not paying attention. I missed out because I was not paying attention, or maybe because the treasure did not look like what I think a treasure is supposed to look like.

When you come upon one of God’s treasures and you know it’s one of His treasures, from the very moment of its discovery, your life begins to change. You develop a different focus, dreams and goals.  Your whole approach to life changes and so does the way that you live!

Treasure is important because it always carries with it the capacity to change our lives. Matthew 13:44 says:  “The Kingdom Of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.  When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

One of the greatest treasures that God has given us is the treasure of a Kingdom Relationship. God does not give us this relationship because we deserve it.  God gives us this relationship out of GRACE, in MERCY and through FORGIVENESS!  Because God gives it, the Kingdom Relationship should change our lives.  It should change who we are, how we live, what we do, where we go and the why of everything.

Don’t waste your Kingdom Relationship! Do whatever it takes to protect it, grow it and share it!  Remember:  Your relationship with God is a treasure and a treasure should bring blessing!

At The Beach For A Little Winter Swim!

When I was younger, I used to play a little football and every now and then someone would come out of nowhere and knock me flat on my behind. I would lay there for a moment or two and try to figure out if I was still alive.  The coach would come over and say:  ”He is alright – just got the wind knocked out of him!”

I don’t play football anymore, but there are still plenty of days where someone or something comes out of nowhere and knocks me flat on my behind. I lay there for a moment and realize that I just got the wind knocked out of me.  In football or in life, when you get the wind knocked out of you, you can’t stay down.  You have to get back up and get back into the game.

All of us have problems! In fact, I don’t know of anyone that does not have any problems.  When you get the wind knocked out of you, you have to get back up!  In every problem there is an opportunity!  Find, seize and grow from your opportunities.  Get up!  There is somewhere for you to go and there is something for you to do!  Whatever problem you are facing right now – remember it is really an opportunity for God to help you to get to somewhere that you could never get on your own!

Ever have one of those days? You know the kind of day where everything goes in an opposite direction than what you had planned.  Today has been one of those days.  I did not get to this blog page until the afternoon, but I still wanted to share a little something.  I hope you enjoy and I hope you will find something useful!

Yesterday was a blast and I am not as young as I used to be! We had a great day at both campuses yesterday.  Our services were very worshipful and it really seemed to me that God was trying to communicate some life-challenging and life-changing TRUTH.  I know that God is really working on me right now and I hope that this is true for many of us, because if it is, then it means that God is about to “SOMETHING!”

My sister is going to have a baby! We had her first shower yesterday.  It was a very good shower.  In fact, I am not really sure that she needs another shower, but I guess she gets one anyway.  I figured out why they call them “Showers”, because she really cleaned up!  (HaHa!)  Krystal will always be my little sister, even though she is beginning to look and act a lot more like our Mom – Martha Jo!  I love you Sis and I am so excited for you and Bill.  It was great getting to see and visit with so many people who have had an impact on my life.  I enjoyed the “hometown” fellowship!

There is still a little bit of day left, so I am going to get off of here and see if I can get a few more things accomplished. Thanks to all of you for reading and I appreciate your sharing your encouragement with comments and emails.  Praying that this will be a blessed week for all of us!

Gray Turning To Blue!

This has been a crazy week! It is really hard to believe that it is only Wednesday.  If I had to use one word to describe this week, I would use the word “interruptions!” Everything that I have planned to do, has been interrupted by something else that was more important that needed to be done.  Most people who know me, know that I am a person that is usually operating off of a “to-do” list, but there are times when you have to ignore your to-do” list and go with the flow and this has been one of those weeks.

Here are just a few observations about interruptions: Interruptions are almost never wanted, but many times end up being just what we needed.  I have not got a lot of the things done that I had planned to get done this week, but I have accomplished a great deal.

Most interruptions will grow us – if we allow them to do their job! Interruptions are going to come and so we must be prepared to make a decision to ignore or give attention to the interruption.  Learning to make the right choice is vital to our being and doing what God has called us to be and do.  There will be times that the interruption needs to be ignored and you need to stay focused on the task at hand, while there will be other times where you need to step away from the task at hand and give your full attention to the interruption.

Our relationship with God is vital! To help you make the right decision, it is important that you are in a connected, growing and surrendered relationship with God.  This is the one thing that you don’t want to get interrupted.  Make sure that you take and make time to connect with and grow in God.  The ability to make the right decision about what to do about an interruption – flows out of a real and right relationship with your Creator, Who has always had your best interest at heart!

Enjoy, learn and grow from the interruptions that come your way – you will be glad that you did!

Bet You Can't Guess Who I Am?

It is almost Halloween and most folks are already thinking about costumes. I have mine – it is a simple mask.  I tried it on one night and Joy and the girls laughed and laughed, so I bought it.  It is fun to put on a mask at Halloween and pretend to be someone or something that we are really not.

Most of us have a very serious problem of wearing a mask or masks even when it is not Halloween. We wear a mask and pretend to be something that we are not.  Many of us have been wearing a mask for so long, that we even fool ourselves!  We need to get real if we are going to get free!

I want a pure heart! I really do want my heart to be pure, because Jesus promises that those with a pure heart will see God.  I want to see God.  I need to see God.  I sometimes convince myself that my heart is pure because I do the right things.  But a pure heart requires more than just doing the right things.  A pure heart requires doing the right things for the right reasons.

A pure heart is a heart that is clean, uncontaminated and without corruption. If my heart is going to be pure, then I have got to take off my mask and/or masks of pretend and let Jesus deal with the real me.  My heart is not always clean and it cannot become clean, if I am unwilling to admit that it is unclean.  As I live in this world it is very easy for me to allow my heart to become contaminated with the stuff of the world.  Pretending that there is no contamination in my heart does not make it true.  Living with the contamination leads to corruption and before long my heart is in a desperate  and very serious place.

My heart is me, it is who I am! It represents the inner me, the me that I have to allow others to see.  When I get the inside of me right – the outside will follow!   This is where most of us mess this up, because we start on the outside.  It is the inside that matters!  God looks at the heart!

Take a good, honest look at your heart! What kind of work do you need to do?  What kind of work do you need to allow God to do?  Take off the mask or masks, get honest, be real and experience the freedom that only Jesus can bring.

Dad & Hope In The Lazy River Parade!

What do you think about the words of Jesus? When you read from the teachings of Jesus, what do they mean to you?  Does the teaching of Jesus challenge you to live different from the world that we so often get caught up in?

The words of Jesus will challenge your life! When I take the time to actually read and think through the teachings of Jesus, I cannot argue, because while what he teaches is not always easy, it is always right.  I cannot think of one teaching of Jesus that I have ever found any valid basis to have an argument with.

The words of Jesus will change your life! When we read them and begin to live by them, then the words of Jesus will challenge and change our lives!  I need challenge and I need change, so I am going to spend some extra time this week listening to and learning from the words of Jesus.  I challenge you to do the same.

A really good place to start is with the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:1-12. Enjoy the journey, appreciate the challenge and share the growth!

Some Of Our Sweet Treat Servants From Last Year!

There is a phrase that I hear over and over. I guess as a pastor, I can’t help but hear it.  The phrase is:  ”Will you pray for me?”  How many times have you had someone to ask you to pray for them?  A more important question is what do you do when someone ask you to pray for them?  A lot of times we tell people we will pray for them and then never actually get around to doing it.  Is intention really enough?  When I ask someone to pray for me, then I want them to pray for me and as soon as possible!  And when someone ask me to pray for them, then I do my best to get to it as soon as possible.  (I know that if I don’t do it while it is fresh on my mind and heart, then I will forget it!)

This is how you move past intention and into action. When you tell someone you will pray for them – do it as soon as possible.  The sooner you do it, the sooner it will be done!  Many times when a person will ask for my prayers, I will do it right then and there – on the spot.  If I can’t do it then and there, then I will get to it as soon as possible by stepping into a corner or even as I walk along to where ever it is that I am off to next.

Remember this:  Prayer is simply communicating with God. Good communication requires talking and listening.  Will you pray for me?  Thank you – now don’t wait do it right now.  And if I can pray for you just email me or comment and let me know how.

Buddy Needs Mercy When Hope Is Around!

“Lord, Have Mercy!” As a boy growing up in the south, I would hear that phrase several times a week, every week.  I think most of the people who would say “Lord, Have Mercy!” would say it, part out of frustration and part as a prayer.  The reality is that we all need some mercy.  As for me, I need more than some mercy, I need a lot of mercy and I am thankful that God supplies it!

Jesus Was All About Mercy! Jesus came to earth on a mission of mercy!  Hebrews 4:14-16 says: “Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Jesus became human and got into our skin and this is exactly what mercy is all about!

Mercy is much more than just concern for people and their needs. Mercy is about getting inside of the other person’s skin, seeing life from their perspective and being moved to do something about what you see.  Mercy is messy work!  When you see life through the eyes of another, or when you feel the sting of pain that burns another, or when you identify with the needs of another, then you begin to understand another and are prepared to show mercy to another!

We all need mercy and God has given it to us! We deserve Hell and eternal separation from God, but God in mercy does not give us what we deserve, instead He offers us His love, which provides grace, mercy and forgiveness and all that we have to do is accept these amazing gifts and our lives will change!

Since God has given these gifts to us – we should give these gifts to each other! Who do you need to show some mercy?  I encourage you to make a list, begin to try to see life from the other person’s perspective and have mercy!

Michael Joe Out On Visitation!

I thought about taking a day off from the blog, but then when I got on here to tell you that I was going to take a day off from the blog, I realized that if I told you that I was taking a day off from the blog – on the blog, then I was really not taking a day off from the blog.  So I was thinking about taking a day off from the blog, but decided not to take a day off from the blog after I got here and started blogging.  I hope you enjoyed it!  God Bless & Press On!