This morning as I spent a little time with the Lord, I was reminded of how blessed and fortunate I have been to be able to spend some time ministering to and with some of the most amazing churches.  I am so thankful for the journey that God has allowed me to travel and for how that journey has allowed me to be shaped and grown by a precious handful of churches that have given God the glory and encouraged me to do the same.

Calvary Baptist Church in Williamston is where I met Jesus for the first time.  There were many precious men and women who spoke the love of Christ into my young and impressionable life.  Much of who and what I am today, I learned from this loving and serving group of Christians at this very impressionalble young age.

Tabernacle Baptist Church in Pelzer is where I learned about the real importance of people.  This is where God helped me to discover my pastor’s heart.  I still remember visiting and sitting on the front porches of many of the mill homes and sharing conversations about all that God has done and will do.  This was also the place where I discovered that being a big kid is okay and that our God is a big enough God to use it all in His way for His glory.

Rose Of Sharon in Durham is where I learned the value of team work.  God blessed me with a group of men, women, boys and girls that loved getting the job done.  This is also where I learned that church could and would be family, if you would let them.  I discovered here my love for learning and sharing the Word of God.

Shamrock in Bethune was the first church that I pastored and it was here that I learned that with our God small is big.  I learned how to really care for people and how to let them care for you.  I learned a lot while serving this community, but the most important thing I learned was how to listen to the Holy Spirit.  Long walks and out loud talks in the woods, the wisdom of the older generation and sweet times of personal worship grew me in ways that I would have never dreamed or imagined.

Hillcrest in Laurens is where I learned about friendship and discovered the real power of doing life and ministry together.  This is the place where God developed in me a love for the disadvantaged and socially challenged.  God moved me out of my comfort zone without me even knowing it, by putting a love and desire in my heart that still travels with me to this day.

Northwood in Greer is where God took many of the things that He had taught me in all of the different churches and allowed me to use them with my brothers and sisters in Christ to reach out and make a difference in different ways than the other churches around us.  It was here that I discovered the amazing truth that God has a unique plan for all of us and will use us for His glory, if we will get out of His way and follow His plan.  It was here that I had the opportunity to face up to and deal with the personal sin of ego, and it was here that God grew my faith, so that I might be able to take a step out of my comfort zone.  It was here that God helped me to find and discover the heart and passion that He had given me and it was here that gave me the opportunity to pursue that!

Grace Place Community/Ridgewood is where I find myself today.  The things that God is teaching me can only be described as incredible.  As of this very moment, one of the most important lessons that I have learned is that the free flow of the Spirit is an incredible and mighty force, that I don’t want to ever have to think about doing ministry without.  I am learning that God can take people who are diverse, bring them together and use them in incredible ways.  I am learning that when you see God working in these ways, then you just can’t keep your mouth shut about it – you have to share it!

These are just a few of the congregations that have impacted my life.  Wherever I go and whatever I do, a little of each of them go with me to help share the greatest message ever delivered:  “You are God’s creation, Jesus loves you and your life is going to be marvelous!”

Yesterday morning I got up and spent a little quiet time in fellowship with my Creator. After that I decided to head outside for a little exercise (walking and jogging with an emphasis on walking – life goes by too fast when I am jogging!)  I plugged in my earphones and hit shuffle and had a great 2.5 mile journey.

On my way back to the house M.C. Hammer came on with “You Can’t Touch This!”  As I walked in the house, my girls were having breakfast and I did my best Hammer Dance across the kitchen and began to sing:  You Can’t Touch This!”  It was fun, it felt good and they confirmed that they have one crazy white daddy!

Last night after Grace Place, I was heading home on my bike in the rain and I caught myself singing.  I realized that I had been singing all day long.  I had joined in with alomst every song that came on the radio and when there was no radio, I was singing whatever I had in my head and heart.  It hit me and I thought it was so cool – “I am actually singing with the radio again!”

This may not seem like a big deal to you, but sometimes we can allow life to become so stressful that it steals our song!  If you find yourself at that place, then just let me share a bit of encouragement – you do not have to live there forever.  Look to God, trust Him and He will lead you out of that place to a place where you can rediscover your song.

If you are not in that place and you are singing with the radio all the time, then take just a moment to be thankful!  Either way – remember that God is good and always has a plan – a plan to help you and me be our best for His glory as we learn to live in the freedom and power of His grace!

I hear a lot of people talking about God’s will.  The amazing thing is that most of us walk around acting like we’ve got this whole thing figured out, but living like we don’t have a clue.  We can talk a pretty good game, but when it comes to walking, we are barefooted and on the rocks.

It’s not that God’s will is really all that complicated.  God’s will is really pretty simple, when you and I are willing to get real about it.  The complication comes in, when we add all of our stuff to the mix.

If you want to know and do God’s will then read, apply, obey and practice Romans 12:1-2:  “1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

1.) Give yourself completely to God!  This is your spiritual service of worship!  It does not really matter what anybody else thinks.  People say they want to know God’s will and then listen to what everybody, except God has to say about it.  If you really want to know God’s will, then take five minutes to not care about what anyone else thinks or has to say about it.  Ask God to reveal His will and to give you peace.  Read His Word and listen for the voice of His Spirit.  In this five minutes give yourself completely to Him and you will know His will, now the question is:  What are you going to do about it?

2.) Don’t be conformed, but transformed!  Let the Spirit renew your mind, so that you are not thinking your way or the worlds way, but His way.  After you spend five minutes and discover His will, it will amaze you at how fast it can be taken away from you.  We fight way to many fights that we don’t need to fight.  Don’t let others or the world shape you.  Instead allow the Spirit of God to recreate you into something amazing for His glory.

3.) Prove God’s will – in and through your living!  This is action that is good, acceptable and perfect.  You need to prove His will to yourself and to others, so just live the life that He has marked out for you – moment by moment!

God has an amazing plan for your life – don’t miss out on it, because you got caught up in playing a game of pretend with everybody else.  It is the simple and consistent steps of obedience that allow God to take you to where you could never take yourself!  Enjoy the journey!