Dying is living

One of the central messages of Christianity is that death is not something to be feared, but it is something to embrace and even something we need to experience again and again. Death is an essential part of life. I know, theologically and doctrinally Jesus' death and resurrection was a once and done, universally applicable event that needs only be acknowledged and accepted by each individual to achieve renewed and eternal life. Theologically and doctrinally I can assent to that deep truth; however, I have found experientially it's just not that simple. I am constantly wrestling with what has been deemed my "sin nature," or as the Apostle Paul dubbed it my "flesh", or as Rohr (Immortal Diamond, 2013) clarifies, my "false self" or ego. I have found that I need to revisit death fairly often in the form of "dying to self" or, more specifically, killing off that part of my ego that struggles to recreate my life according to the rules of selfish lust and desire. Throughout our lives most if us need to return again and again to the depths, to get to the bottom of it (if you will), to dive deep into the pool of life, the pit of despair (or stress, doubt, hate, depression, hurt) or even into the center of our perceived happiness to find the core of what motivates or restrains us, to see what is truly at the bottom of our selves. We need to go as deeply as possible in self-discovery. Only when we are at the bottom of that pool can we, with God's help, both kill that which controls us subconsciously (by dying to self, if you will) and claim that dark part of our being as our own. It is only then that we really have a choice of whether to resurrect into the light that which we find in those depths or kill it and leave it buried there as an acknowledged, but no longer controlling part of who we are becoming. As Rohr suggests, when we do not get to the core of our true self, we tend to cover over parts of our identity that bubble up at the most inconvenient times, causing us surprising and inexplicable trouble (Immortal Diamond, 2013).

It is in the depths that we actually find our true identity. In the depths there is no room for masks, no space for false ideas, and no where to hide. There we are exposed. There we are laid bare. In the depths we are able to finally see our selves as we are. We realize that despite all of our efforts to be someone else, by wearing various masks of hypocrisy, deep down at our core we never really changed. And we are able to see and finally admit that our true self that we attempted to hide behind the mask du jour is actually "good" and perfect. Rohr notes,

"You do not create your True Self, or can you earn it, or work up to it by any moral or ritual behavior whatsoever. It is all and forever mercy for all of us and all the time, and there are no exceptions. You do not climb up to your True Self. You fall into it, so don't avoid all falling. There, ironically and happily, you are finally found" (Immortal Diamond, p. 25)

What we will discover at the core, in the depths, at the very bottom of that which we most fear, is the core of our identity. At the very core we will discover that part that was handmade by God. Where we find our soul, pure, simple, and unchanged from the moment it was fashioned by God. Augustine suggested that our soul is not at rest until it finds rest in God. Rohr explains that this is because our soul was created by God, and as such not only contains a spark of God, but in very essence is a mirror of God, a true imago dei (image of God). Each soul was uniquely fashioned by the creator of the universe. It is in God that we find our true self. But that self can only be discovered when we go beneath it all, below the surface of the many facades we have added in the attempt to find meaning.

Once we stand face to face with our true self - with our very soul - then we will discover freedom like we have never known. We will find meaning and joy in the simple things of life. We will find love for all people, appreciation for individuality, and new joy in co-creating with God a future out of our newly acknowledged center. Status will matter less to us. We will see each moment as a gift.

But most people will not do the hard work to get down to the core of our selves. Most people will choose to remain on the surface of self-knowledge and self-understanding, choosing to treat symptoms instead of going deep to discover their core, their soul, and the result will be a life lived, yes, but not a life lived to the fullest. Jesus said he wanted his disciples to have abundant (full, complete) life (see John 10:9). We can't go deep without creating space in our busyness to spend time in silence, to learn to be contemplative, to develop a lifestyle of silent prayer, of learning to listen beneath the noise that so fills our lives.

So here's the rub, a prescription from Dr. Nate, if you will: Turn off the TV, put down the iPod, take out the earbuds, find a place of solitude, silence the many small voices of urgency that will inevitably cry for your attention in the quiet, and learn to listen to your life, learn to hear the voice of your soul, learn to tune in to the still small voice of God. It is there, in the quiet, in the silence, in the stillness, that you can begin to hear, see, and discover who you really are, who you were meant to be, who you are becoming. It it there that you will really find yourself. It is there that the stories and words of scripture that you have read will take on new life. It is there that relationships will blossom into love. It is there that past hurts will fade. It is there that the trivial will become apparent and that which is most important will rise in value. It is there that you will find peace and joy.

The great equalizer

This past week has once again forced me to admit that I am not invincible. I know, for some of you this news is a terrible blow. Take the time you need before continuing to read. The realization and subsequent admission was quite a shock to me as we'll.

The cause of my sobering reality check? Influenza.

For most of last week I nursed our eldest child through her descent into illness, then her diagnosis of flu, and her eventual recovery from this silly little infection, all the while maintaining my work schedule and ignoring the scratchy throat, the worsening cough, and stuffy nose that I was beginning to feel. I blamed my ill feelings on a nagging sinus infection. However, when everyone around me began mentioning, then pleading, that I go see my doctor, I just shrugged it off. Surely they did not realize that I don't get sick, not really sick, not sick enough to miss work. Allergies often bother me - they have since I was a kid. But I've learned to manage life with almost constant post-nasel drip, an occasional cough, and a nagging sinus headache. It has always been part of life for me. But really getting sick? Nope. Not me. I just push right through whatever ill feelings I might have. It might have been the hacking cough or the new deep smoker's voice that emanated from my lips whenever I spoke that caused me to finally heed the words of concern from family, co-workers, and students. What ultimately got my attention, however was my nose. I couldn't breathe. Yet, it was as it someone had turned on a faucet inside my face. I never knew one person could produce so much mucus or use so many tissues! Yuck!

When I finally admitted defeat and made an appointment with my doctor he scolded me for not calling him the minute that my daughter was diagnosed with the flu. He said he would have proscribed everyone in the house preventative doses of Tamiflu. That way I would not have fallen victim to the bug myself - and neither would Karlie (even though she had a flu shot she got the bug too).

When Dr. Robach came into the exam room before getting the results of my test he cheerfully asked, "Hey Nathan, how are you?!?" I croaked, "Just shoot me now," before doubling over in a fit of coughs. He watched my antics and said, "Hmm, you have the flu. That's what all of my flu patients say." And yes, the test was positive. Smart man.

Perhaps I could have avoided all of this had I taken the time to find a flu vaccine last fall. But I didn't. Karen got one as soon as she could. Karlie had one too. But Nat, Nick, and I just took our chances...and lost. I've not had the flu for the past 15 years or so. I didn't really think I was immune, but I certainly didn't go to any extra effort to find a vaccine this year. I asked a few times at the Kroger where I normally shop for groceries, but that's about it.

So now here I sit at home. I feel better - well, better than I did yesterday, and certainly better than the day before that. While my instinct is to get up, shower, get dressed, and head back to the office ('cause they just can't make it without me!), the coughs that return when I move too quickly or the light headedness and headache that comes on when I move around too much forces me to admit that I'm not quite as well as I want to be. I have to acknowledge that perhaps Mom is right (isn't she always right?). I need to wait until I am completely recovered before heading back to work. As she advised, "You don't want a relapse!" Nope. I don't.

But I'm bored. And so is Karlie. Mom used to say that she new we were getting well when we declared boredom - right again Mom! One can only put together so many puzzles, read so many books aloud, watch so many Disney movies and episodes of Drive-ins, Diners, and Dives before wigging out. I'm almost there. This morning I've managed to vacuum (OK, push start on Rumba, our vacuuming robot), rest, empty the dishwasher, rest, change the sheets on the bed, rest, put the sheets into the washing machine, rest, get Karlie some juice, rest, feed and walk the dog, rest, rest, rest, and now try to figure out what we are going to eat for lunch. Ramen is only a good option the first 5 times....maybe I'll venture up to Striplings for a hotdog. I'll have to sleep the afternoon away if I do that. And why not. I'm sure I could use the rest.

And next year I'm getting the vaccine as soon as it is available! I would advise you to do the same! I'd be willing to bet that you are not invincible either! And that's a bet I'll win!

Teaching with heart and soul: Meet Paige Martin Robbins!

Paige Robbins (Blaine Marable photography)

In college UGA cheerleader Paige Martin Robbins graced the sidelines of Sanford Stadium to cheer on her beloved Georgia Bulldogs. It was an honor for her to be a part of this exclusive squad of athletes that supported the Georgia football team each weekend during the fall! But her greatest accomplishment was not what she did on the sidelines, but what she did with her teammates during the week. Paige, a special education major at UGA, joined with another cheerleader to start a weekly bible study for her teammates. That was her sophomore year. The following year was the hardest, as her two closest teammates did not make the team. She led the study until she graduated. She reflected, "God really showed me that he had placed me on the team not for myself and what I could gain, but how he could use me for his purpose."

Paige grew up in Savannah and was a member of Southside Baptist Church. She would return home each summer during college to help out with the youth group. She helped recruit Ben Robbins to come as a youth intern each summer. She and Ben were married just after graduation from UGA. One of the perks of being a UGA cheerleader is that sometimes special guests show up at important events - Hairy Dog joined in for the wedding festivities!

Now Paige teaches Special Education in Warner Robins. Her deep faith has given her great patience with her students. When I asked her about teaching she responded,

"My greatest joy as a teacher is to see my students learn. That may sound a little silly, but to see them make progress and become more independent makes me feel like I have made a difference. Sometimes it takes my students longer to learn a new skill, but I am so proud when they get it!"

Life has come full circle. Ben (and the staff of Longleaf) recruited Paige to work with the youth at the church. In addition to teaching school full-time  she is now employed part-time at the church helping with events and organization. What she learned while working with the cheerleaders continues to benefit now. She loves working with the girls in the youth group in discipleship, building relationships and teaching them about Jesus.

It has been so fun watching Ben and Paige take on this adventure called life. With faith being the foundation that drives all that they do I cannot wait to read the next chapter in their journey!

Grace, again

I can't seem to get away from grace. Or perhaps better said, grace seems to pursue me. Not only do I find the concept of grace - human and divine - compelling. I find I am constantly in need of grace from God and from others. Conversely, I find that I do not offer grace as much as I receive it. As an avid buyer of books a quick scan of my bookshelves at home and at work will reveal quite a few books on the topic of grace. When reading I find myself underlining passages about God's grace much more frequently than any other topic. My favorite songs, novels, and movies all have grace or its applied twin justice as a central theme. I got a new book this week from my friends at Amazon. No, I really don't know anyone who works there, but their logo arrives at my home or office door so much on the boxes that carry my purchases I feel like they are old friends. The most recent delivery was Richard Rohr's newest book, Immortal Diamond (2013). this little treasure has provided much thought for me over the past few days. I told my wife how I feel like underlining almost every sentence. She told me I should perhaps highlight it with a paint roller. I have underlined and scribbled notes on every page so far. I imagine many thoughts will find their way into this blog over the following days and weeks. I don't this this will be a book I finish and process quickly.

One of the quotes that I keep returning to read is a fleshing out of the simple idea that "God is love." Rohr writes,

"Basically, grace is God's first name, and probably last name too. Grace is what God does to keep all things he has made in love and alive - forever. Grace is God's official job description. Grace is not something God gives; grace is who God is." [p. xx, italics in original]

If Christians are followers of Jesus, the Incarnation of God, who are trying to emulate him as savior, Lord, and example on living as humans on this side of paradise, then each should also seek to be more grace-ful in all that they do. As Jesus begins to live in and through us we should begin to embody Rohr's above description; we should become incarnations of grace.

Another book I have been slowly digesting adds to this idea. In Jesus Christ, Glenn Hinson (1977) writes that for Jesus, discipleship "is characterized by boundless love and forgiveness" (p. 94). He continues,

"Experiencing this love and forgiveness impels him to love and to forgive. Indeed, the disciple knows that he has been justified if he loves and forgives: if he has fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, visited the sick, and cared for prisoners (Matt. 25:31;46). The disciple's love, as the parable of the Samaritan shows, is boundless. So is his forgiveness. Everything depends upon the genuineness of his forgiveness of others (Matt 18:23-35)" (p. 94)."

As a lover of annoying questions I cannot but begin to query myself:

• Am I more grace-ful each day? 
• In each interaction am I demonstrating and reflecting the grace that I have been shown by God? 
• Is my life a mirror of God's grace? 
• Is grace my go-to option in all situations? 
• If I cannot answer these affirmatively, what am I demonstrating and of what have I become a disciple? What has my allegiance? 

Back to the farm: Meet Jenny & Chris Jackson

Nestled just outside of Pine Mountain in Southwest Georgia, on short White Cemetery Road lies the quaint, four acre, Jenny Jack Sun Farm. On Wednesday the barn at the front of the property bustles with activity as people from the community drop by for fresh produce grown without the aid of pesticides. The farmers are UGA alumni Jenny and Chris Jackson. Jenny and Chris both served on the leadership team of Baptist Collegiate Ministries while in college.

According to Chris, Jenny is the brains behind the operation; he is the brawn. While Chris was obtaining an education degree at UGA, Jenny studied agriculture. She grew up on a farm, helping her dad with the endless chores while falling in love with the process of food production. In school she became enamored with the idea of sustainable farming. After graduating she and Chris moved back to Pine Mountain where she went to work in Mr. Cason's Garden at Calloway Gardens and Chris taught and coached at a nearby high school. After a year they decided to broaden their agricultural experience and moved to Hawaii as interns for two different farmers. They brought back deep tans and enough practical knowledge to begin their own small business. Conveniently, Jenny's dad offered her a portion of his property for their venture. He was nearing retirement and was thrilled to give Jenny and Chris a spot to carry on the family business.

Chris loves the work. Though days are long and sometimes the tasks monotonous Chris has found solace in contemplation. He says weeding rows of beans can be therapeutic. He has learned to allow the land to determine his daily schedule. When it rains he and the crew work in the barn, cleaning, organizing, preparing farm implements or gearing up for the farm markets. Like a younger version of Wendell Berry, Chris is also a writer who desires for Americans to slow down and notice where their food comes from. Chris composes weekly newsletters for the farm, eloquently describing the various chores that are being accomplished (complete with pictures of the crew at work) as well as giving a preview of the available harvest for sale at the on-farm-market and at local weekend markets. In an early winter newsletter Chris wrote,

"It seems a little early to think on strawberries. They’re a springtime treasure; a classic southern favorite, rewarding our steady diet of winter soups, canned tomatoes and sweet potatoes prepared every way possible. Come May they present themselves sweet and juicy, tasting perfect raw and right now without any process or rinse. Strawberries are the year’s first straight from the garden dessert, their deep red coat seems exotic and fascinating, unreal compared to the neutrality of static winter. The first one is a handshake, an open door, an anticipated introduction to warmth and intrepid flavor and a time of year full of pure goodness. How appropriate we celebrate this delicacy in the Spring, but the time to begin preparing for those satiated moments is now. This afternoon while I was steadily constructing a fence, Max, Molly, and Courteney were planting the 1500 strawberry plugs that arrived from South Carolina yesterday."

Farming has deepened Chris's Christian faith. The work in the middle of nature has given him opportunities each day to ponder God's goodness and God's creation. It has helped him let go of past ideas of satisfaction and given him a deep appreciation for simple things. Chris is an avid reader and deep thinker. He has introduced me to several authors who have become my new favorites. Two writers that have inspired him the most are Richard Rohr (Everything Belongs) and Wendell Berry (Jayber Crow, and others).

Like poet/farmer Wendell Berry, moving away from the city and learning to live in a small town has given Chris a greater appreciation for all people. Chris believes that everyone has something they can teach him; everyone is special and deserves to be respected and treated with importance. Our urban and suburban culture has not only disconnected us from the land and our source of food (most people don't even think about where the food they purchase at big box grocery stores was grown), it has also removed us from the many relationships that small town, agrarian life demands. Chris says he has learned more about Jesus' teachings about loving your neighbors and enemies since moving to the farm. He told story after story of the amazing people he has met while living in Pine Mountain. Some he knows he would have discounted as annoying in his previous life. But he says getting to know people below the surface has shown Chris that everyone is not only worth knowing, but everyone has experiences and knowledge that can enrich his life and work.

The couple loves small town life. They are involved a local church that is within walking distance from the farm. They also love monthly pot-luck dinners at the community center in Pine Mountain where they get to meet their neighbors around the table. Each dinner also features a presentation and discussion. Chris has made presentations on sustainable farming practices and on books he has read. Each time he participates his relationships with his neighbors is deepened, his mind is expanded, and his life is made more full.

Food has become much more important to Chris. He has always enjoyed eating, but being involved with agriculture has given the many Biblical passages about food new meaning. The simple act of dining with someone can be spiritual - enjoying the communion of fellowship over a meal can be a holy experience. Each summer Jenny and Chris partner with a local chef to host farm dinners. People drive hours to attend these communal events on the farm. Each dinner features food grown onsite and is served at one long table where everyone is seated together, family style. Watching diners share a laugh, get to know new people, all while eating amazing food and hearing about how it was grown gives Chris a deep sense of pride and satisfaction.

Chris and Jenny have also partnered with a local ministry that seeks to give former migrant workers a since of belonging while helping them feed their families. Reserving a portion of their land for the ministry, Chris assists folks with the process of growing and harvesting their own food. He gets a deep sense of satisfaction watching folks become more independent while learning more healthy eating habits.

You can find their produce at the on-farm market (707 White Cemetery Road, Pine Mountain, GA 31822) and at weekend markets in LaGrange and Columbus. They can be contacted at jennyjackfarm@gmail.com or 706-333-4479. This summer I encourage you to get some of their heirloom tomatoes - the best I've ever eaten!

From Mic Man to leader of the band: Meet Ben Robbins

Saturdays in Athens. There is nothing quite like it. Sanford Stadium comes alive with almost 100,000 cheering fans on game days in the fall. As a student, Ben Robbins helped work the student section into a frenzy. He was "Mic Man," a member of the cheer leading squad who stood on a platform just across the hedges, microphone in hand, guiding the standing collegiate faithful in support of the Dawgs.

He still stands on a stage each weekend, but in a much smaller setting, for a much different purpose. Ben is the worship leader at Longleaf church in Warner Robins. Prior to joining the team at Longleaf, Ben led worship for the contemporary service at Roswell Street Baptist Church. In addition to his duties on the sidelines during football games, Ben also led music at BCM. For two years he led the BCM Impact Band, traveling to churches to led youth events, DNow weekends, and worship services. His senior year he led the BCM House Band.

Not only is Ben an outstanding musician, he gets worship. He knows that he is not just strumming his guitar for a sing along, he carries the burden of leading the congregation to praise God each week. He works hard with his talented band members each week - most of whom have been with him since their BCM Impact Band days - to compose a musical set that fits the theme of the day, skillfully blending musical worship, scripture, sights, sounds, and textures to guide worshipers to the throne of God. He also writes and arranges music. Many weeks the songs performed by the band in worship have been written or arranged just for the occasion. Let year he released his first CD of covers and arrangements of popular worship songs. This year he will release his first collection of original worship tracks.

It is so satisfying as a collegiate minister to watch God at work in the lives of those who have come through the BCM! The day Ben received his first batch of CD's in the mail Franklin Scott and I were in Warner Robins for a collegiate minister's meeting. Ben brought one of the disks to us before we left town. Franklin and I listened - and worshiped - all the way back to Athens!

This summer Ben and his band will lead worship for the Merge and Superwow youth events sponsored by the Georgia Baptist Convention. I'm so excited for the opportunity for so many youth in the state to hear and meet Ben. Not only is he a great worship leader, he is an incredible man of integrity who seeks to live out his faith in all that he does. You can hear some of Ben's music by clicking this link

[Ben is married to the former Paige Martin from Savannah, Georgia. Read a post about her here! She is equally as incredible!]

Calling for a Radical Lifestyle: Meet David Platt

David was always a bit different than his peers when he attended UGA in the late 90's. Most collegians spend their free time on evenings and weekends going to parties, playing intramural sports, visiting Athens many bars or concert venues, improving their high score on video games, and perhaps studying a bit. While he was president of Baptist Collegiate Ministries (98-99), David Platt managed to find time to lead his peers while traveling to churches around Athens and surrounding towns preaching and teaching. Even then he had a remarkable ability for scripture memorization and storytelling. He made the Bible come alive. His passion for God's word was contagious.

It was no surprise when this popular, yet introverted student from Briarlake Baptist church in Atlanta graduated and headed to New Orleans to attend seminary. He quickly finished a masters degree and then a PhD. David did so well in his seminary endeavors that he was asked to stay and teach. He proved to be just as popular as a professor as a student. The floods from Katrina forced David and his family to leave the city. Like many other professors and students from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, they moved to Atlanta as a temporary home. Eventually he made a career change, becoming the senior pastor of the huge and affluent Church at Brookhills in Birmingham. He was still not yet 30 years old.

Along the way David has continued to travel as a popular speaker at conferences and in churches.
Along the way he went overseas to preach and teach. Always evangelistic, the opportunity to travel to places where the gospel was scarce provided a thrilling spiritual pull that deepened his faith and calling. Teaching pastors of secret house churches in places where the practice of Christianity is illegal changed David.
Along the way he came back home with a desire to introduce his parishioners to the experiences of worshiping in secret. The result was what he dubbed "Secret Church." David and the staff of Brook Hills invited members of the church to arrive at 6 pm for prayer and worship until late into the night (or the wee hours the next morning). At each occasion David would traverse the Bible from Genesis through Revelation, expounded on God's word yo our contemporary setting. The event was so popular that they did it again, and again, and again. Now the Secret Church events held in Birmingham are simulcast live around the world via the Internet by Lifeway Christian Resources.

As the pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham David continues to reject the status quo. He has called on his church to reject the American Dream and to seek to allow God to dream a new dream in their lives as Christian Americans who try to apply the challenges if the Bible to love simply while giving away more and more of their income to support evangelistic and justice needs around the world. He calls each member to voluntarily be radical, to live against the norm, to be willing to face the changes the gospel commands.

In the process, David and Heather also caught God's heart for adoption. They realized that their family and excess resources and could incorporate more members, so they brought two children who were living in orphanages in impoverished countries to live with them in Birmingham and to become Platts.

David has written a series of books sharing what he has learned about living a radical Christian life.

His best selling book Radical has taken the collegiate Christian culture by storm. And now he has added to the conversation by writing for churches to join the movement, challenging churches to change in order to meet the issues brought about by injustice around the world and here in America.

His book Radical is a call to be different. It is a call to take the scripture literally, listening to God's concern for the poor, for those suffering injustice by living more simply and by giving more and more of what we have away. It is a call to dissatisfaction with what is and a call to try to make the world a better place through prayer and action. David believes that Christians, those who truly seek to follow Christ more fully each day, cannot be comfortable with the way the world is now and will try to do whatever it takes to create change. He thinks Christians should be radical. He thinks that the message of the Gospel should not only save souls but also make the world a better place to live for all, bringing about the Kingdom of God that Jesus talked about so much.

I think he is right.

But I don't want to go to NYC! Meet Season Helms

When +Season Helms received news of her Send Me Now summer missions assignment in February 2012 she was not very excited! Like many folks, she was afraid of the big city, a far different place from the small north Georgia town of Trion! She had heard too many horror stories about the violent crime, insane transportation, and rude people! However, after being in the city for just three days she wrote in her blog:

"...I have fallen in love with the place. The bright lights, the hustle, the convenience of running to the produce stand just around the block, the parks, the river, the museums, and I’m sure there is even more that I haven’t discovered yet. It’s an experience like none other and I’m so blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to spend the next 8 weeks serving here. Everyone here has a story and I’m learning a lot through them." (June 4, 2012)

Season in Central Park

In fact, Season had such a tremendous experience that after her term was over in August she went back for the fall, and has stayed on for the spring. Will she ever come back south? I'm beginning to wonder! When she was appointed to go to NYC I echoed what many of her friends had told her, "You will fall in love with the city and won't ever want to come home!"

A lot has changed for Season since leaving Central Avenue Baptist church in Trion to attend college in Athens. She got involved in BCM her first year, singing in the Impact Band and then House Band. She attended FBC Watkinsville as her college church. Eventually she served on the BCM leadership team as the Worship Team Leader. She has a remarkable voice and is skilled in playing keys. When watching her lead worship it is evident that she is not singing for the adulation of the congregation, but is personally praising God from the depths of her soul. Season's jobs have morphed and changed since she has been in NYC. Now she is serving as the Office Coordinator of the Metropolitan New York Baptist Association (MNYBA). She also spends time working with two of the Graffiti Baptist Church and Ministries on the lower east side of Manhattan. She attends the Wednesday dinner at Graffiti and has found deep pleasure and fulfillment in building relationships with some of the homeless men and woman who come for food and fellowship each week. Then on the weekends she leads worship at Graffiti 2 (a church plant in the Bronx). It's amazing how quickly this small town girl became a fan of big city life!

You can follow Season's journey on her blog. Lift her up in prayer as she continues to work across NYC over the next few months (or years).

Start spreading the news! Meet Kyle Herring

When +Kyle Herring boarded the Amtrak train with his peers from the Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) at UGA for a spring break mission trip in March of 2012 he had no idea how much this trip would change the direction of his life. Kyle had never ridden a train nor been to the Big Apple before, so this trip to NYC was fraught with adventure! For me it was one of those wonderful occasions as a collegiate minister when I knew God was at work in Kyle's life in an almost miraculous way. Each day was revelatory to Kyle. The summer before Kyle heard a sermon at First Baptist Watkinsville, where he attended while at school, where the speaker talked about the great need for more Christians with an evangelistic heart to move to New York city. He began to pray for the city, thinking that he would be a prayer warrior and nothing more. When he heard about the spring break trip with BCM he was amazed that he would actually be able to go and prayer walk the city and perhaps, be able to help to make a difference in person. Meanwhile, Kyle began to hear more and more about church planting efforts and needs. The idea began to tug at his heart. He knew nothing about church planting. He was a musician, leading our worship band at BCM, majoring in finance at UGA, looking for a career in the business world.

He boarded the north bound train full of excitement. Each day brought about new ideas of how, perhaps, God might want him to move to New York after graduation. Perhaps to work on Wall Street? He had met some folks who said they could help him get an internship. Then he met some church planters. Somehow they heard of Kyle's two new interests - church planting and NYC - and they began to talk with him about possibilities for the future. The team Kyle was placed on for the week visited Queens - Astoria more specifically. Kyle fell in love with the people, the town, and more specifically with two church planters who were there to start Connection Church.

Kyle had only shared what was going on with him with a few folks, and few knew all of the details. As a result, after each new development, he and I would share knowing looks and smile. Eventually it became quite funny. It was as if this whole trip was just for him. It became fun watching to see what would happen next! Kyle boarded the train back to Atlanta believing that in a few short months he would probably be moving to NYC, at least for a few months.

That was almost a year ago. Kyle is now living in NYC, leading music at the Connection Church in Astoria, helping reach the city for Jesus. He is also helping to start campus ministry at a small college near the church. But that's not the end of it. As a finance major Kyle is putting his education to use helping with bookkeeping for the Baptist Association where he lives. He was just accepted as a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary that has an extension branch in the association building.

I love catching up with Kyle via cell phone. Usually he calls after grabbing a cup of coffee and heading down to walk along the Hudson River just down from the associational office. It's cool to see how God is putting the pieces together of Kyle's life; intersecting Kyle with the needs of NYC - with a young church that needed a musician to help with worship, with a campus with no existing Christian group, with a need for expertise in finance, and with someone else to drink coffee and love on the people in the largest city in our nation. I can't wait for the next part of his story!

If you are in NYC, check out Connection Church!

You can listen to and buy music from Kyle's album on Reverbnation or iTunes. You can also follow him on Twitter (@herringkyle) and Facebook. Most of all, pray for Kyle and the work that he is doing each day!

Faith can lead to crazy decisions: Meet Becca Stanley

When +Rebecca Stanley and her husband Adam announced that they were moving their young family to inner-city Atlanta, into the heart of poverty & in the midst of crime central, they got some odd looks and lots of questions. Lots of folks thought they were crazy. The decision was not made without a lot of thought and prayer. It was the result of years of working with inner city kids during the summer taking them away to camp, then returning them to the messy & complicated lives in Atlanta, and feeling that there needed to be a year-round ministry to offer hope, mentoring, and options for a better future.

In a sense, Adam and Becca decided to put their home where their heart was.

Lots of folks return from missions experiences with good feelings and tell folks, "that changed my life." For the Stanley's the summer work they did with they children of Atlanta really did change their lives. They fell in love with the children they met each summer. They sold their house in the suburbs and moved to live in the neighborhood where the children lived. The Stanleys see what they are doing as "incarnational ministry" - taking the Gospel that so changed their lives and living out their faith, grace, and love in such a way that it can make a huge difference in the lives of their neighbors.

When Becca was a student at UGA she was on the leadership team at the BCM. An amazing writer and story teller, Becca worked with our publicity, helping us to tell the story of BCM and to get word out about the various ministries we sponsored. Now she uses those same skills to report on the amazing work her family is doing as "urban missionaries." I encourage you to get to know The Stanley Clan by reading her blog, following their work, and praying for them in their mission field!

Perhaps more of us who follow Jesus will truly follow him with our whole lives - perhaps even to the extent of moving to a new place so that we can minister to those who need it the most. Heck, many of us just need to walk across the street to meet our neighbors where we live now! We need to allow the light and love of Jesus to penetrate the darkness all around us. We need to use the gifts, passions, and calling in our lives like Becca and Adam have done to make a difference, allowing our faith to guide us - to pursue God's dream - instead of the American Dream.

Missions can get into your blood: Meet Elissa Ewald

'Tis the season for missions around the office. We spent three days this week meeting with students for local interviews as a part of the Send-Me-Now collegiate summer missions process. Applicants from UGA have almost doubled over last year! +Jenna Huckaby and those who have served as missionaries in past summers did a great job telling their stories and recruiting students to apply.

This time of year is one of the best in the collegiate ministry world. I spent 9 years and 10 summers guiding the collegiate missions process through the Georgia Baptist Convention. We just called it summer missions back then. Though I missed the day to day contact with students on campus, that job was one of the most fulfilling I have had. I was able to work with the cream of the crop of students from around Georgia, those who were seeking to live their faith and who wanted to apply the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20,

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I loved seeing how a) God would use these willing, yet naive students, who didn't know the word "can't" to accomplish ridiculous things each summer, and b) how student's lives were changed in the process. I warned collegians who asked me about summer missions, "Careful, it will change your life."

Over the next few weeks I will be introducing you to some UGA BCM alumni who are taking non-traditional approaches to life after college. Each of them have chosen to spend time overseas as an outgrowth of their faith instead of simply getting a job working towards the American Dream.

Elissa Ewald (UGA 2011)

+Elissa Ewald graduated from UGA in 2011. As is the case with many of our students who graduate and head out into the big bad world, I was sorry to see her leave! It was my honor to work with Elissa over the past few years as she exercised her musical gifts. She grew up singing with her musical family and sang in our bands for most of her college career. He senior year she worked behind the scenes coordinating our worship services and working with various teams that lead in house as well as those that ministered in local churches. I came to rely on her skill, insight and wisdom! Elissa's knowledge of worship, music, and her wonderful people skills made her one of the best Worship Team Leaders I have ever had the opportunity to work with. I still love talking with her about worship planning! But now she has a new venture.

Elissa caught the missions bug many years ago. For some crazy reason she felt called to go to Kenya - even though she had never been there, never met anyone from there, and was studying a different language in college. After making a few trips over the past few years, she is heading off to Kenya in a few weeks to work at Camp Chemi Chemi. Elissa dropped by the office yesterday afternoon to catch me up on the whirlwind of life over the last several months. It was incredible to hear all of the stories of how God has been working in her life and in her experiences in Africa. You can follow her experiences on her blog. Elissa is a great writer - I can't wait to read the narratives that she will relate as she serves! She would appreciate your prayers as he goes to Kenya to work with a retreat center and camp for the next 6 to 9 months.

What? Lance took drugs? Who knew?

So it's true. After years of testing, years of former teammates accusing him, and years of adamant denials, Lance Armstrong has admitted that he used "performance enhancing drugs" during his unprecedented cycling career. Though the media is attempting to make this headline news, no one is surprised, no one seems to really care. It's old news. Even those of us who have followed Armstrong, cheered on his victories, prayed for him as he battled cancer, and who have hoped that the growing accusations were not true are not really surprised by his admission.

Disappointed? Absolutely.

Shocked? Nope.

In reality, no matter how much we try to glorify our heroes, they are all human. They are all just like us. They struggle. They fear. They hope. They work. They fall. They get back up. In the process of living, they all seek to be the best they can be. The difference is that the world is watching them. They are under the spotlight and, as such, the emotional strain on them tends to magnify the aforementioned human experiences.

As I write this I am sipping on my rapidly cooling cup of coffee - my third cup of the morning. I like coffee. A lot. I like how it helps me to wake up more quickly. It helps me to be more alert in the mornings. I am completely aware that this effect is not due to simply consuming a warm beverage in the morning. If that was so a warm cup of water would have the same effect. The reality is that caffeine is my morning friend. And I'm not alone. Many of my friends get their daily dose of energy from a beverage, be it coffee, soda, or tea. It's considered to be "normal" in our society.

But caffeine is simply a chemical - that affects the body like a drug, a performance enhancing drug.

Many folks I know drink coffee throughout the day in order to stay more alert or to keep their minds sharp during class or at work. Others drink "energy drinks" or take "energy shots" for the same effect. I have friends who take supplements to help them loose weight or gain muscle mass. Many folks in our society use what is available to achieve the results they need or want. And that is OK with most of us, we don't take a second glance, it's normal, everybody does it!

Many cyclists shave their legs (even the boys). Most cyclists wear specialty clothing to reduce wind resistance. Many bikers use some type of creme to keep their nether-regions from chaffing on long rides. Lots of endurance athletes carry energy shots on long runs or rides to get a nutritional boost on the trek. Most athletes drink Powerade, Gatorade, or the equivalent to replace lost electrolytes for quicker recovery. Many folks take vitamins to supplement food intake. Such activities are considered normal to help our bodies perform better. The lines of acceptability are often blurry. Once one takes one step - caffeine - it is not difficult to take the next - a "natural" "vitamin" to boost muscle growth or to speed recovery. It does not take many such steps before approaching the line of legality. And if "everyone" seems to be bouncing against the line of legality, some crossing over without getting caught, why not try? Why not take advantage of what everyone else is doing? Why not try to level the playing field?

I'm not trying to justify the choice of Armstrong or others who seek to gain an edge by using illegal substances. I am certainly not trying to justify him lying about it for years and years. I am especially not advocating him suing former teammates of slander who told the truth about their own and his use of drugs. But it is not at all surprising. It is very easy for me to understand how someone can get to that point.

The lesson for me is not to make too much of those in the spotlight. Though they are extraordinary in their chosen field or sport, underneath they are just normal people who face the same struggles we all face. All fall down. Some get up with grace. Some do not. Enjoy watching. Enjoy the entertainment. But don't make them heroes.

Lance Armstrong's story still inspires me. I will never forget watching him ride a 20 mile time trial from the foot of a mountain to the peak, standing most of the way, crushing his competitors and securing the Tour de France victory. Amazing. I don't care what edge he gained from performance enhancing drugs. According to many who have accused him over the years, every cyclist was taking something illegal during those years. There is no way of knowing that now.

I've made mistakes - lots of mistakes - over the years. I'm so thankful for family and friends who have supported me along the way. I'll never be a cycling superstar - thank goodness! I don't think I could handle the pressure! I'll still watch the grand Tour each year (and some year want to go see it in person). I'll still support Livestrong and the wonderful work that organization does to further cancer research. I'll still admire Armstrong's accomplishments on the bike even though he has been stripped of his titles. I'll still find inspiration from those who are faster and stronger than me when they ride.

But my heroes are not any of these seeming supermen. My heroes are normal. My heroes are not quite as exciting as those on the national and international stage. My heroes are those who do amazing things behind the scenes - loving their families, helping their neighbors, finding deep meaning in ordinary jobs, and being the hands and feet of God by giving grace to those they meet.

And I'll still drink coffee. I think I'll grab another cup.

Be present; enjoy the "now"

On the Weekend Edition radio program this morning I was fascinated by an interview with Will Self, the self-described Modernist author of Umbrella. The novel is written in a first person stream of conscious format. There are no chapter breaks and few paragraphs. When the interviewer asked him about the structure of this novel he replied that he sought to mirror lived experience. Self suggested that people watch too much media and read too many novels that imply that life is linear and is marked by dramatic climaxes upon which everything changes. He observed that life is just not like that. Life is only immediate experience. Life is what happens in the present. Yes, current experience is interpreted by past experiences, but life is made in the now.

I think he is right. Many of the problems in society are the result of dissatisfaction from unmet expectations of ourselves and of other people. The messages that bury into our subconscious lead us to believe that our normal lives are boring, or worse, meaningless and unimportant if we cannot readily trace the dramatic high points of life in our linear time line. We expect every new experience to build upon and eclipse those in the past. We expect to climb the corporate ladder, making more money with each step, ever moving forward and higher in status and title. We expect to advance in every endeavor. We expect each year to be better than the previous year. Relationships and marriages end because the dramatic romantic spark is gone. When the inevitable mundane of ordinary life sets in partners get restless, begin questioning if the relationship is right, and, if nothing changes, they begin fantasizing about what-might-be, what-should-be. Over time, unsatisfied partners begin looking at others and fantasizing about how life with a new partner might be different, might fulfill the "need," maybe even the right, for ongoing and increasing excitement and drama. 

I am a dreamer. I am constantly asking "what if?" I love to tweak, improve, and change things. I enjoy adding on and building new things. I'm not much a fan of "status quo." I like change - especially if I have a part in authoring the changes. I thrive on thinking about possibilities. As a result, I daydream often. I think this is one of my greatest strengths. I can enter into almost any situation and improve it. I can problem solve like few others! Yet, this tendency can also cause problems. At times I am so busy thinking about possibilities that I miss what is actually happening in the here and now. This is an issue because before changing something it would be helpful to really understand what is actually going on! It is sometimes nice to actually relax and enjoy present experiences, and more-so, the people that I am with in the present. 

Over the next few weeks I am going to try to focus on the now, to enjoy the present. As Robin Williams' character in the Dead Poet's Society suggests, quoting Thoreau, I am going to try to "suck all of the marrow out of life," out of each experience, each relationship.
I am going to enjoy the moment.
I am going to be here, now, instead of always looking ahead.
I'm still going to exercise my ability to tweak and improve, but I am going to do that mindfully, not constantly.
I'm going to put down my book, iPad, or phone when my wife or kids are in the room.
I'm going to turn away from the computer when someone comes into my office.
I'm going to look deeper when I feel boredom coming on.
I'm going to try to enjoy the mundane, to find meaning and enjoyment in the simple things, to stop and smell the roses, relish the downtime, get to know folks on a deeper level, to actually try to be present in the now. 

Realization: I am Clark Griswold

One of our favorite holiday movies is Christmas Vacation - I know, I know, it is not a movie that warms the heart and instills the real meaning of Christmas into the occasion. We like those movies too, but we like to laugh in our family. We laugh a lot! We watch lots of Christmas movies during the holidays - most all of the classics and many of the newer ones too. But it just does not feel like Christmas until we have watched the Griswolds celebrate the nativity as only they can.

A few days after Christmas 2012 we realized we had not watched it this year, so we had an impromptu movie night. I love watching my family chuckle and guffaw at the mindless actions of the Griswold family. This film not only features Clark, his wife Ellen, and two children, Audrey and Rusty, extended family members also come to celebrate Christmas. Clark's parents and in-laws are there as well as Ellen's sister Catherine (bringing her memorable and daft husband Eddie and their two children, Rocky and Ruby Sue) and the ancient and senile Aunt Bethany and cigar smoking Uncle Lewis. The movie humor is slapstick. Cousin Eddie is by far my favorite character. Deftly played by actor Randy Quad, Eddie arrives with his family as a surprise to the whole clan. Turns out Eddie has been out of work for seven years. Living in their ill kept motor home, they are at the end of their rope financially. Clark does not particularly care for Eddie  but as he is Married to Ellen's sister, he tries to make the best of it. In the end it is Eddie who saves the day.

Early in the film Ellen cautions her well intentioned husband not to build up too many outlandish expectations for this Christmas. But Clark does just that. In his mind this will be the best Griswold family Christmas ever. It was certainly the most memorable! The movie takes off from that moment. Each of Clark's plans results in a comedy of errors.

Over the past few weeks I have made a sobering realization: I am much like Clark Griswold. No I don't string way to many Christmas lights on the house, breaking the neighbor's expensive stereo and wrecking the house in the process. I don't fall off of the roof or get stuck in the attic. I don't buy a Christmas tree that could fit in Rockefeller Center, nor do I cut down trees from my front yard as a last resort just so we can have an evergreen decking the halls of our home. Yet, just like Clark, I tend to make extravagant plans for family perfection that rarely turn out as I expected.

I give pretty good advice to others - it's part of my job! When students come to my office in a tizzy because life is not meshing with their long held plan for the way things would go, I talk with them about the trap of having an "illusion of control." There are too many variables in any human equation to believe that life will come out the way we have planned - especially when those plans involve or are affected by other people. This is simply because other people have plans too. Most often other people do not consult you or me as to how they should plan their lives so that your plans and my plans will succeed in your way or my way. Nope. Life just doesn't work that way. Your plans and my plans are usually contingent upon everyone falling into line with what we want. That usually only happens in our fantasies. And life is usually not a fantasy. It is that R-word - reality.

I am not particularly a fan of the term "reality." It is too limiting, to final. I prefer the world of dreams, ideas, and possibilities!

Another bit of advice that I give usually pertains to couples preparing for marriage during what Ben Robbins, a former student at UGA, dubbed "Pre-mar" (premarital counseling). One of the topics we discuss in Pre-mar sessions is to manage expectations with the expectations of others and the reality of what is occurring at the moment. Most of the time couples get into spats because of differing expectations of situations, events, and people. The key is to begin to realize your own expectations, while asking about the expectations of your spouse (and other family members), and then actually noticing what is going on with everyone involved.

I should listen more to my own advice! When things go awry of my imaginative, grandiose plans I tend to make it worse - just like Clark - because of my reactions. Of course I never share my ideas with anyone else to see if my plans fit in with their plans. So, in the process of over reacting I miss the good times that could have been had if I had just relaxed and enjoyed the moment. Had I not built up the event in my mind as to how it would turn out I might have been present enough to enjoy what actually occurred, instead of getting in a huff and making it miserable for myself and sometimes, sadly, for everyone else.

Much of the success of managing expectations lies in observation and communication. Most of Clark's travails could have been avoided if he had shared with others what his plans were and what his expectations were. Then, he could have asked each person involved what their expectations were. That way the differing plans would have been immediately obvious, and new, more realistic expectations could have been formulated by all involved working together. They could have had a flexible plan that attempted to accommodate everyone's ideas.

But another key to managing expectations is to be flexible. Oddly enough, personality inventories that I have taken show that I am extremely flexible. I usually am - until I get stressed. Under stress - including when things don't go the way I expect them to go - I turn into Hitler!

After a failed family dinner last week - it's a long story, but basically I had built up expectations of a Norman Rockwellian dinner and nobody was in the mood - I decided to adjust my expectations. I love to cook for my family. And therein lies my realization. I cook to make them happy. Last week I realized that the dinner was more about me and my plans and expectations than about them having a great meal and enjoying each other. Hmmmmm.

I've decided to try to be a bit more realistic (as much as I despise that word). I've decided to try to moderate my plans for everyone else and to simply enjoy the times we have together. Novel thought. It seems to be working well so far. Hopefully I can keep the Griswold attitude away.

I love a rainy day.

Rain.

I like rainy days. I know, lot of folks fall into a depressive state when they awaken to a dreary, rain soaked day. Not me. I find rain to be deeply contemplative.

There is something comforting about rain. It seems to slow my mind down. It seems to cause my body to relax. It causes me to want to stay indoors (most of the time) and be reflective. I usually don't want to get much "work" done. Rain does not usually call me to physical activity.

Rains calls to the recesses of my mind.

Rains calls for dreams.

Rains calls for pondering.

Rains calls for reminiscing.

Rains calls for solitude.

Rains calls for quiet intimacy.

Rains calls for reading provocative books.

Rain calls for soup.

Rain calls for naps.

There are rainy days when the rain calls to me in different ways. It calls me to come outside. There are times when I have a deep longing to mount my bike and go for a wet ride. There are other times when I want nothing more to tromp through the woods in the rain, soaked to the bone, enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of the world taking a drink of refreshing water. I suppose some would consider this a masochistic desire, akin to the self-flagellation practiced by a few narrow sects of Christianity, but to me it is more appropriately compared with baptism. It is not so much that I am feeling guilty, but that I need to reorganize, straighten, or rearrange my thoughts and conceptions. I find it cleansing and refreshing to occasionally ride or walk in a soft rain.

When we lived in Louisville, Kentucky I enjoyed watching thunderstorms from our apartment window. We lived on a hill. Our apartment faced the river, looking across into Indiana. Violent storms would often sweep across the water, lighting up the sky with brilliant displays accompanied with cacophonous thunder. It was incredible! My wife would plead with me to come away from the window. She does not like storms or rain. She finds rain to be depressing - especially in the winter, more-so when she has to go outside.

Don't assume I do not like warm sunny days. I do! But every once in a while I need a rainy day. My soul needs it.

Yesterday was one of those days. It was a busy week at work and at home. It was also been a profitable week. When I woke up this morning and heard the soft patter of rain on the roof and the trickle of water navigating the gutters and downspouts I sighed, "yes." I realized I needed such a day.

I don't often take the time I need to reflect, to think, to ponder, to wonder, to plan, to analyze. But when it rains my mind automatically goes to the deeper parts of myself. I am an extrovert and need people around. I will often leave my desk - and the mounds of work there - to go and find people to talk with and listen to. But on days like yesterday I became more of an introvert. I don't necessarily avoid people, but I seek alone time. I run errands. I read. I swivel my desk chair away from the door, away from the computer, away from the desk to look out of the window at the rain dripping off of the branches of the bare dogwood tree. I might even close my door just to have some uninterrupted time.

Eddy Rabbit used to sing, "I love a rainy night;" not me. I love a rainy day.

I like to ask annoying questions

I like questions. Hang around me much at all and I will begin asking you questions. You know, there are the normal things to ask, Where are you from? What do you do for fun? Who are your parents? What is a normal Christmas dinner at your house? Are you married yet? I believe that people assume to much about each other. We assume that if go to the same church we have identical political ideas. We assume that we like the same foods. We assume that all of our friends like the same movies, the same books, the same TV shows, and the same sports. But that is not really true. I think the best way to get to know someone is to ask questions, lots of questions. 

Some of my favorite questions only come after I have known someone for a while. These are annoying questions. Questions that get into your business. Questions that pry. Questions that are disquieting, disturbing, that force you to think, that call into question your assumptions.

I also believe most of us don't know ourselves very well. We may know what we like, but we don't know why we like those things. We may know what we believe, but we have never really thought through our beliefs, we just accept them as normal. Often I've found that lots of folks hold inconsistent beliefs and practices. 

In her book Big Questions Worthy Dreams Sharon Deloz Parks suggests that campus ministers should be "keepers of the questions." Too often ministers (and Christians in general) are primarily givers of answers, pat answers, answers that often do not really answer the question asked, or, worse, avoid the question all together. A skill I have learned (and am still learning when asking myself questions) is to let the question hang. Sometimes we are too quick to answer. Sometimes what we need to do is to learn to live with the question. Sometimes what we need is the struggle that the question requires. Sometimes what we need is just to acknowledge that there is a question for which we do not know the answer, for which there may not be an answer, or for which an answer may not be needed. 

Sometimes all that is needed is the question. 

Jesus liked questions too. He asked them a lot. When he was asked a question he often replied with a question of his own. And how annoying is that? Really!

• Sometimes Jesus' questions demanded answers. ("Who do you say that I am?" Mark 8:29. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" Mark 10:38)
• Sometimes his questions invited stories. ("What can we say the kingdom of God is like?" Mark 4:30. "Will you give me a drink?" John 4:7)
• Sometimes his questions seemed rather silly. ("Who are my mother and my brothers?" Mark 3:33. "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed?" Mark 4:21. At a child's wake, "Why all this commotion and wailing?" Mark 5:39)
• Sometimes Jesus' questions demanded people to take ownership of actions, attitudes, or beliefs. ("Who touched me?" Mark 5:30-31. "Do you want to get well?" John 5:6. "Do you believe this?" John 11:26)
• Sometimes Jesus just let the question hang. ("Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?" John 7:19)
• Sometimes Jesus' questions were like a slap in the face. ("Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Mark 4:40. "Are you dull [or stupid]?" Mark 7:17. "Are you not in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God?" Mark 12:24)
• Sometimes Jesus preached a sermon with one question. ("Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" John 8:10)

I like questions. I ask them a lot. Come on by the office sometime or let's grab some coffee. I will annoy you with some queries. Perhaps you will annoy me with some questions of your own. I'd like that. A lot.

• Why? 
• Who? 
• Where? 
• When? 
• Who says? 
• How do you know? 
• What if that is not true? 
• What is truth?
• How do you judge between two or more seemingly right answers?
• What would be different if...? 
• Is there another possible way to look at your situation?
• What might someone else do if faced with this dilemma?
• If you could change one thing about ___ what would it be and why? 
• What are you going to do with your life? 
• If you have no clue what you want to major in, why not take a semester or year off to do something completely different to figure it out?
• Why is that your major? 
• Why not do missions this summer? 
• Why not study abroad?
• Who are you? 
• If you could swap places with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
• What's something about yourself that you have never told anyone? 
• What are you most afraid of? 
• What was the happiest moment of your life? 
• What's your biggest dream? 
• If you could do anything and money, time, and ability were not in the way, what would you do? 
• Is there a story behind that statement?
• Why do you think that? 
• Where did you learn that? 

Be Prepared! (basic content of Tuesday@theB message 1/8/13)

In the book of Luke, before meeting the Holy family of Mary and Joseph, before the promise and birth of the Christ child, there is another story, an important story about preparation. The writer of Luke and Acts begins his book with the story of a childless priest named Zachariah and his wife Elizabeth. We meet Zach late in his life and are told that he had just been selected by lot, or the drawing of straws if you will, to serve as the priest to go into the holiest part of the temple to burn incense on the altar. This was a job that few priests ever attained. The innermost part of the temple was so sacred that great preparation and purification had to occur before the priest went behind the curtains to light the incense. Zachariah had to bathe in a ceremonial bath. He had to be dressed in ceremonial clothing. He had to be purified through certain rituals. And finally a rope was tied around his ankle in case he died while inside this holiest of places. In ancient Jewish culture this was the Holiest place on Earth. This was literally Holy Ground. In the Holy of Holys you were the closest to God as was possible, you were encroaching into the living room of Yahweh, the God of the universe.

When Zechariah went into the Holy of Holys the assembled worshipers waited cautiously outside praying. I can only imagine how nervous he was - filled with a mix of pride for being selected, the weight of carrying the burden for the whole nation, and fear of possibly screwing it up. he was actually going to go behind the curtain, the wall of separation between the people and God. We don't have anything quite like this in our churches or worship centers. Perhaps in most Protestant churches the Baptistry might be considered a holy place, but I don't know of anyone who has had to be rescued from one, nor have I ever known anyone to tie a rope around their waist or wear a life jacket when going into the water! I have heard from one retired music leader who actually bathed in a baptistry of the church where he was staying and conducting a revival. He was told to do so by his hosts for the week. The church did not have showers, but only bathrooms typical for such public meeting places. One morning some women from the church came to begin preparing for that evening only to find his head poking above the glass. He smiled and said good morning. The women left rather sheepishly. So in Luke's story, old Zach heads behind the curtain carrying the incense to the altar, hoping everything goes smoothly. I imagine he was trying to be as ceremonial as he could, making sure he did the right things, the right way.

Contemporary Christians don't have the same fear of our God that many other religions have. However, we can get a clue about how most folks mentioned in the Bible felt about God by the words of Angels or messengers from God that are recorded. In almost every case when a messenger from God shows up to speak to a human, he begins with, "Don't be afraid." This story is no different. We are not told much about Zachariah's walk into the room and up to the altar. We are not told what he did when he got there. We are not told anything about how he was feeling, what procedure or steps he took to place the incense before God. Though the scripture does not tell us what he does, I think it is safe to assume that old Zach took the opportunity of being so close to God, in such a holy place, to pray on behalf of he and his wife, for the child they have always wanted, so desperately wanted, perhaps even needed.

In their culture, being married and not having children was considered to be a curse from God for a sin. Something was wrong with couples who did not have children - and usually the blame fell on the woman - she was called, "barren". She was considered a dessert wasteland where nothing could grow. She was devoid of life. Zach's wife Elizabeth felt rejected by God because if her infertility. We can assume that Zach prayed for a child because of what happens next in the story. As Zach was placing the incense on the altar an angel appeared on the right side, in the place of honor. Remember, no one else was allowed to go behind the curtain. Zach should have been alone. The shock of finding someone else there with him was bad enough. This was not just any old angel, it was Gabriel, the chief Angel, God's right hand. When Zachariah saw this holy messenger of God he was gripped with fear.

But the angel said,

"Don't be afraid! Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son and you are to name him John. He will bring joy to your life and many people will praise God because of him. He will be great in God's eyes. You will dedicate him to God. He is never to take wine or fermented drink and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even within his mother's womb. He will be a forerunner for God, turning the hearts of fathers back to their children and the disobedient to wisdom. He will prepare people for the Lord."

Zachariah was shocked. The angel's announcement must have reminded the old priest of Abraham's experience when a messenger of God appeared and told him he and his wife would have a child. Quoting Abraham at 90 years old, Zach asked the angel,

"But how will I know this is going to happen, because my wife and I are old?"

The angel replied,

"I am the angel Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God and was sent to give this news to you. But because you didn't believe me, you will not be able to speak from now until all of it has come to pass."

Although Zach knew the story well enough to quote Abraham's question, he had not personalized the story. It was not his story, but only a story in the scriptures.

Placing incense on the altar was not a complicated task. Yes, it demanded ceremony and should be done in the right way. But it didn't usually take much time. Zachariah had been behind the curtain for a long time. When he finally came out it was obvious that he could not speak. He was trying to communicate to the crowd using gestures. They all assumed he had had a vision while behind the curtain.

After his week of service in the temple was completed he went home. His wife Elizabeth soon became pregnant and stayed in seclusion for 5 months to worship God and enjoy her pregnancy. I would also suspect that like many couples today, she did not want to make the pregnancy public knowledge until he was sure it would last. Perhaps she had never had trouble getting pregnant, but could not carry a child to term. Perhaps she was prone to miscarriages or other complications.

When it was time for her to have her baby she gave birth to a son. Everyone rejoiced with the Zechariah and Elizabeth because they finally had a child in their old age, demonstrating the mercy and grace of their God.

As was traditional, when the bay was eight days old Zachariah and Elizabeth invited the rabbi to perform a Bris, a ceremony of dedication through circumcision and naming. Since Zacharia could not speak they assumed that the child would be named after his father. But before they could name him Elizabeth protested and said the child's name should be John. Everyone was shocked because there was no one else in the family named John. They looked to Zachariah for support but he asked for something to write on - he simply wrote, "His name is John." Immediately he could speak again and he began praising God. Everyone there was filled with awe. They knew the story. They knew that something happened in the temple and they knew that old Zach had not been able to speak since that experience. They knew that this old couple finally had a child. Coincidence? They didn't believe it was. They began to murmur among themselves, wondering who this child would be, because they knew that God was a part of this miraculous event.

Filled with the spirit, Zach began praising God. After months of silence, months to ponder on the miracle of God's grace and blessing in his life, Zachariah realized that he was a part of something huge. After all of the prayers, after all of the service to God, after all of the waiting, all of his study of scriptures, Zachariah knew that God had chosen him - just like he had chosen Abraham before - to father a child who would be great. After the months of contemplative silence, Zachariah spoke up and proclaimed,

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days."

And then, looking at his son John, possibly holding him aloft Lion-King-style, Zach blessed him. He said,

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

And John grew to became everything the angel Gabriel had promised: God's spirit was strong in him as he grew. After he grew up, he lived in the wilderness until it was time for him to begin preaching.

John has been called the "forerunner of Jesus." He is the one who was foretold long ago by the prophet Isaiah, to be "a voice crying in the wilderness to make a straight path for the Lord." John announced the coming of a new age, an age when God would come near. He called the people to repentance, to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. And then, after months of preaching, he was able to introduce the world to Jesus and to Baptize him.

The story is one of preparation. We have just begin a new year. Most folks make resolutions to kick off the year - though some may not admit it to anyone else, folks usually set goals of things they want to accomplish over the next year, putting the regrets and mistakes of the previous year behind them.

I want to challenge you to make some spiritual goals this year. I want to challenge you to begin to prepare yourself spiritually for what God has for you in the future. You may see those things revealed this year, but you may not. However, one thing I have learned over the years is that we grow best spiritually when we have prepared for growth. Just as a farmer prepares a field before planting crops, just as many of you have trained and prepared before running your first 5K, just as most of you prepare before exams, you will find that you get the best results when you are prepared. I grow spiritually the most after a crisis or a struggle. However, even in such moments the growth that occurs is directly proportional to the amount of spiritual exercise I have put in before the crisis or struggle.

• Do you want to grow spiritually this year?
• Do you want to be closer to God than ever before?
• Do you want to see the amazing things that God can do in and through you in the future?

Begin to prepare now. Make a plan of preparation. Put in the needed work through Bible study, in prayer, in community groups, by serving others in faith, all in order to make yourself a fertile ground into which God can plant his seeds of growth.
As Scar sang in the Lion King, it is essential to ensure our own spiritual growth that we "Be prepared!"

Well hello Mr. Murphy!

There were eight people living in our home in Statesboro during my almost 20 years there. While we had lots of guests in and out, these eight were usually there. This number may surprise most folks who knew our family and who visited us. In addition to my parents, my three sisters, my brother, and me, we also had an unseen, yet seemingly constant house guest named Mr. Murphy. He was my dad's assistant when working on projects. Yet he was not much help. In fact, it seemed that his goal was to thwart or complicate every project, no matter how simple. Though I rarely noticed Murphy, dad must have seen him as he was constantly blaming him when things went awry. When a tool broke, a part didn't fit, or a simple plumbing project suddenly required the digging up of the front yard (yet again) my dad would exasperatedly sigh, shout, or grunt, "Murphy!"

Once when Dad was working with my Grandfather, Nathan Byrd, Sr., to repair the leaking knobs in the guest bathtub, a part went missing. It was the stem onto which the knob was affixed. The two men traveled all over Statesboro looking for the missing stem. They went to every possible store with Murphy and me along for the ride. They even took an example to show to proprietors. But no one could match the stem. They even took a break to return home for lunch and to try to brainstorm alternatives. replacing the entire unit seemed like the only option, one my father would only take as a last resort. After lunch they resumed their quest. At the last possible store, the one Dad hated to shop in because it was so expensive, they explained their predicament to the salesman. After listening to their long tale he got a puzzled look on his face, pointed to the stem they carried with them as an example, and asked, "What is wrong with that one?"

My Grandfather and my Dad looked at each other and burst out laughing. The stem they had carried all over town was actually the "missing" piece!

MURPHY!

You may know ole man Murphy by the rule named after him, Murphy's Law: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Around our house Murphy not only visited occasionally, he lived there. There was no such thing as an easy solution. Everything was complicated. Every problem became more complicated the more we attempted to solve it.

• The dryer needed a new belt. While repairing it we discovered the bearings were bad too. No one in town carried those bearings. MURPHY!
• The toilet was clogged. While tracing the problem dad discovered the "Orangeburg" pipes leading to the street had collapsed. While replacing the pipes he discovered that tree roots had filled the "good" lengths of pipe farther into the front yerd. We couldn't take showers for months during one summer, but spent a lot of family time at the public pool. We would all shower before leaving. MURPHY!
• The hot water heater was not heating enough water. Inspecting it he found sediment had built up. After spending days digging out sediment and thinking the problem was solved he noticed the element had also burned out. No one in town had the part. We order it. It was back ordered. We didn't have hot water for months. For a while we had to use water coming from the neighbor's garden hose because the water lines coming into the hot water heater were so messed up. MURPHY!

Dad loved to tackle projects. Nothing was so complicated that we had to call someone else to fix it. We added onto the house, closing in the garage, putting in a bathroom, expanding the pantry, and building a bay window. We also installed a fireplace, put in several different antennas, built a deck, installed doors, added storm windows, built floor to ceiling shelving along an entire wall, built and added closets, added insulation in the attact, assembled and installed a metal shed, and many, many other things over the years. There was always a project or two in the works and Murphy was always close at hand.

We even attempted a few car repairs, but even a simple oil change sometimes resulted in Murphy coming out to offer his assistance. Nothing was ever easy.

I learned so much working with dad over the years. Though I did not enjoy the many of the experiences at the time, I am so grateful for the skills and knowledge I gleaned:

• I learned that I can do lots of things myself.
• I learned that working with your family can be fun.
• I learned that money can be saved by putting in a bit of time and effort.
• I learned the joy of completing a project and the satisfaction of knowing, "I did that!"

I also learned some things from working with Mr. Murphy:

• Not everything that I can do should be attempted.
• There are more important things than saving money.
• Every task attempted will take longer, cost more, and be harder than originally thought.
• There are people who actually get paid to do some difficult, time consuming, and unpleasant tasks - they are professionals. They know what they are doing, have the parts (or know where to get them), and can do it right in a reasonable amount of time.Sometimes professionals can do it more cheaply than I can.

With commiserating with my siblings back-in-the-day, we would swear we would never try to do the things Dad did, or, if we did we would pay for the best possible tools, equipment, and supplies needed to accomplish the task the right way, the easiest way, in the shortest amount of time. I probably try to tackle projects that are beyond my skill level. In other words, Murphy occasionally shows up at my house too. However, I have also learned a skill my dad never knew about (or, more true, refused to do). I'm not afraid to ask for help.

There is an episode of the Andy Griffith Show that comes to mind here. Sheriff Andy advised his beloved Aunt Bea to "just call the man" when their freezer began acting up. After valiant, yet failed attempts to solve the problem while trying to save money in a at each step, Aunt Bea ends up calling "The Man". If she had just called in the professional at the beginning of her travails much time, headache, and money would have been saved. Of course the episode would have been much shorter and not nearly as funny! Unlike Aunt Bea and my dad, I'm not afraid to call the man and to pay for someone else to do the jobs that will take too long, cost too much in time or emotional energy, or overly disrupt my family. Such calls to "The Man" cause Murphy to vanish and usually stay away for a good long while. In our first house I needed to replace a broken faucet in our bathroom. I bought the cheapest one I could find at a store 40 miles away. It cost about $25.00. I worked with that silly thing over several days, but could never get it to fit where it didn't leak. I finally called a local  handyman (who was the father of one of my students). He had the problem solved in about 10 minutes. The call cost me $30.00. Before he left he asked me how much I paid for the mostly plastic faucet. He gave me a knowing smile and told me that he had one in his truck he could have sold me and installed for less than $30.00. Not only did the project not save any money, I didn't even get the satisfaction of completing the task myself.

Honestly, I probably don't call "the man" as much as my wife would prefer. I love a challenge (especially if I can justify the purchase of a new tool or two) and the satisfaction of doing it myself. Home Depot and Lowes love me! I have several projects in the works now. But they are not major. Karen may disagree. Well, at least they don't require showers at the public pool or neighbor's house. And though he does visit from time to time, I don't allow Murphy to spend the night or to move in to the guest room.