My Last Day

Well, my last day at Meadow View has come and is in the process of going. I'm sad and glad that it has come. God is slowly removing things from my plate so that I can focus on what he has for me now. He has called and He is faithful. We made the decision to move to Fayetteville with no promise of income. It wasn't any grand act of faith, it just made sense. If we really believed what we say we believe, it only made sense for us to do this. Who has ever paid me at any job but God? Who has ever provided. I knew He would provide, I just thought He would stretch it out and make us show our faith. He's cool, He's our Father, and He didn't do that. Somehow, we were able to save 75% of what we will need for the first 2 months of being dedicated to Pathway with no other job. I have no idea how, when we brought in just barely above what we pay out, we were able to save enough to pay that much. Today, the great people at Meadow View gave and because of that giving, we now have more to pay our bills for the two months where we don't have even half of the guaranteed income we need than we have ever had in the year and a half that we have been married. God rocks. I don't really believe that it is faith to trust God to do what He has always done. We did nothing special. We just did what we were told. I'm not writing this to praise us for our great faith or piety. Is it special for a person not to get bitten by a shark because he got out of the water when the lifeguard told him to? We are nothing special, just smart enough to listen. If God tells you to do something, do it. He won't ask you to do something and then not provide what is needed for it to happen. Just obey, He knows what He is doing.

Packing and Unpacking

I'm so sick of being in more than one place at a time. My parents were divorced before I was a teenager and then I began to live in more than one place. I lived out of a bag for half of every summer and every other weekend and I hated it. I longed for the day when I would live in one place and stay there almost all of the time.

Then I went to seminary. I thought, "Now, I'll live in one place." Nope. Britt and I started dating our last semester of our Senior year of High School and there was no way that I could stay away from her that much. We went in to Batesville many weekends when she was in Conway and later when she lived in Little Rock before we were married. In between those times, she actually lived in Batesville, so I was back and forth there all of the time. I did it because I loved and missed her. It was worth it, but I still wanted to sit still for a little while.

Then we got married. I thought, "Now, I'll live in one place." and we did, for a little while. Then, Meadow View in Malvern called me as their Youth Minister. I love them and would not give up my time there, but it was an hour and a half round trip three-four times a week. Not only that, but we spent many weekends staying in Malvern. I had my oil changed on March 17th. On April 20th, I rolled over three thousand miles. THREE THOUSAND MILES in one month. I want to sit still. Meadow View was worth the time, but I want it to be the exception and not the rule when I spend a weekend away from home.

So, what? Well, I packed up my office at Meadow View yesterday. I still have some furniture, but all of my little stuff is packed up and sitting at the apartment waiting to be unpacked. Tomorrow is my last NBC at Meadow View and Sunday will be my last day. I'm sad to leave many of the people that I've come to know, but I'm ready to move on to my next phase of life. Less than a month from now Britt and I will have our Bachelor's Degrees and be ready to move into post-school work. One month and one day from now, we'll arrive back from our vacation at WDW and begin to load a truck to move to Fayetteville. I'll live in the same town where I work and go to church. It's going to be awesome. I'll finally live in one place. I hate that this has been a long time coming, but I'm happy that I'll be able to appreciate one of the simple pleasures that make life easier.

Crazy People

We are told that, in the last days, there will be many false prophets. My brother put me on to a group of them a few moments ago. There is a (supposedly) Baptist Church in Kansas that is absolutely nuts (you can check out their website at http://www.godhatesamerica.com/). They preach hate and revel in the deaths of others. They celebrate the fact that there are some who will burn eternally in Hell. One of there articles discusses someone being lost and from all signs going to Hell and at the end of the article they write in large, bold letters "HA!".

As someone who will be dedicating his life to spreading the actual Message of God, it make me sad and angry to see someone lie about God' intentions on Earth. He doesn't hate sinners, He hates sin. He doesn't hate gays, He hates homosexuality. If He did hate them, why did He put Himself through the misery of His only Son dying a painful death and being separated from Him so that they wouldn't have to burn in Hell, even though they don't deserve it. We don't deserve it.

What can we do? Well, I don't know what we can do to stop them. I've contacted them, used scripture, and asked them to reconsider their actions. Other than that, the most important thing to do is to pray for them. Pray for the enemies of God. Why? Because He loves them, too. Paul was an opposer of God. He became an advocate for God. Why could these people not do the same. God condemns sin and pleads with us to turn away from it. All we can do is what He says and tell others what He has said. Pray for the false prophets. They need Jesus.

Thank You God and Lonoke

Last night, Lonoke Baptist Church in Morrilton, Arkansas voted to take me on and become my sending church. This just means that I have someone elses credibility to back me up and help me as I seek financial support. I've talked with Bro. Dennis Holmes over the last several months and believed that Lonoke would take me on, but it's nice to have it officially decided. We'll move our membership there sometime next month. So thanks to them. Now I get to dive head on into deputation. So, thanks God. You called me to do something, now you've provided. Thanks.

A Layer of Ladyfingers, A Layer of Jam, A Layer of Whip Cream, A Layer of Beef, Sauteed with Peas and Onions, Another Layer of Ladyfingers...

Ok, so God is cool. I made Brittney supper last night. Yeah, I'm that kind of guy (it was frozen lasagna and steamed corn, but she sat on the couch and watched t.v. while I did it, so I get credit). So, I'm cooking the food, then I fix her a plate, then I go back for mine. Then, my friend Jonathan comes in, walks into the kitchen, and begins to make noises that I can only describe as desirous of frozen lasagna and steamed corn. So, I said would you like some food? He says yes and, with a whoop of joy, leaves to ask Kristine if she would like to eat at our house tonight. She doesn't believe that we are serious, but we are. So, they eat with us last night.

So, I'm sitting there, watching friends and to the room at large, I say, "I would like some hot chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream". It was a casual declaration, and I had not intention of having it fulfilled. So you will understand my surprise when Jonathan declares in response, "We have chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream!" I was so excited! God was cool enough to take time out of holding gravity together and forgiving the continual sin of mankind to have Jonathan's Aunt Beverly make too much cake, send it home with them, and provide it for me when I was desirious of it. God is cool. Thanks, Aunt Beverly! Thanks, Jonathan and Kristine! Thanks, God!

The Study at John and Amy's

Well, I don't know if you know this or not, but we are moving to Fayetteville. We live in Little Rock right now. I am a student at the Missionary Baptist Seminary and Brittney is a student at UAMS College of Nursing. We both graduate in May. The day after Brittney graduates, we're going to Disney World. When we get back, we'll put all of our stuff in a truck and drive to Fayetteville and that will be that. Ok, so what. We're moving to Fayetteville because I will be the Associate Pastor of Pathway Baptist Church. Never heard of it? Not surprising because we held our first meeting in January of 2007.

I went up over spring break with my brother and attended one of our bible studies, you know, just to have a chance to meet everybody. I was absolutely blown away. We sat for an hour and a half, studied the Bible, discussed it, prayed together, and went home. It was freakin' awesome. There were no empty rituals or traditions. There was noone there who wished they weren't there. It was as close to what Jesus intended as I can imagine.

Right now, we're just meeting in homes, but plan to have all of our small groups come together for corporate worship services beginning in the Fall. But, we won't stop the bible studies. These are what will build the church. They provide an opportunity for everyone to study and learn together. We meet and fellowship and "edify" and it is the coolest thing ever. Jesus said that the wise man will build upon the rock, but the foolish man will build upon the sand. I have a sad suspicion that churches for a long time have been pretending to build upon the rock, but they're planted firmly upon the sand.

There is are two churches that were really awesome churches. I mean, that had it going on. But, then their pastors left. They went nuts. They had absolutely no leadership. It was like a bunch of Kindergardeners fighting over what color koolaid they wanted to drink. I say this to say, that when we have good, strong leadership, everything goes well. But, when the good, strong leadership is gone, then we find out why Christians are often referred to as sheep. Because, apparently, we're pretty stupid if we don't have strong leadership.

That's what we're trying to fix at Pathway. We want a group of people who, each individually, are planted firmly on the Rock. That way, no matter what happens, the people will stand strong for a specific goal: the glorification of God through the carrying out of the Great Commission. It's simple. If each one is solid, then the whole thing is solid. Then we'll be fine.

If you get a chance, come see us at Pathway. This is new to us, too, so bear with us. But, we are building on the Rock. I guarantee it.