Sometimes I feel a little disappointed...

Have you ever had something disappoint you or been disappointed by something? Of course, we all have at some point in our lives. Disappointment is a feeling I prefer not to experience. I do not like to be disappointed, nor do I like to disappoint. I know throughout my life, some of my decisions have disappointed or have been a disappointment to family and friends because of decisions that affected them, my relationship with them, and me personally. I can honestly say that disappointing them was unintentional. Although some of the decisions I made have been "intentional" because those decisions had to do with what I deemed as proper or correct, based on the values instilled in me throughout my life and my belief in following a Christ-centered life, which I am almost positive is who I have disappointed the most in my life.

As crazy as it might sound, occasionally, it takes a painful disappointment to teach us a skill, strengthen our faith, or put us in the right place at the right time. Now I am not advocating we run out and test this by disappointing someone or ourselves. However, even in the critical moments in our life, God is in control of the situation. He is looking out for us. He is working out a plan that is bigger than we are, and we are going to be better for it in the end. What makes you say that you ask? It is written in Jeremiah 29:11 – "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not disaster to give you a future and a hope." 

"…a future and a hope". Isn't that wonderful to know? So, we ask, how do we overcome life's little disappointments? First, we must believe in God's plan as it is written in Jeremiah. This is God's assurance to the people of His plans to prosper them and give them a hopeful future. Even when we do not see immediate results, we can remain assured of God's ultimate blessing and benefit. The fruit may not come immediately, but it will come ultimately.

We must grieve a little when things have not gone as we wanted. When our hopes and expectations have been defeated, we need some quiet time to be sad, mourning the way we thought things would be. Once we fight through grief, we need to remember disappointment is not meant to define us or hold us hostage. Remember, there is a greater plan for our lives, and we cannot give it power. We must overcome.

You had to know this next one was coming; we should pray. Spend some time talking to your Heavenly Father. Tell Him your heartache. Tell Him about the plans you had and ask Him to show you why He's taken them away. I promise you that He has good in this for you, and it's okay to ask Him what that good is.

What's next? Listen and wait. Big things happen when we pray. Sometimes, they are blessings beyond our expectations. Sometimes they happen right away, but usually, they happen much later when we least expect them. You must keep waiting. You will know when the prayer has been answered.

We must look for the good when we have experienced disappointment. This is the time when it's most challenging - and most important - to find the good, grab onto it with both hands, and celebrate it. We need to. Every day is a new day, with a new beginning. We have a choice to wallow in self-pity or to move forward in our faith, hope, joy, and love. Psalm 118:24 provides the instruction for us to follow each day, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." It WILL make a difference and add value to our lives and the lives of others if we adopt this attitude.

I encourage each of us as leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations to understand we will have times in our lives when we are disappointed or disappoint others. We, as leaders, set an example for others, and we should not allow disappointment to take power over our lives. We should set the example of faith, hope, joy, and the unconditional love God provides us to overcome life's little pitfalls. Our example will become a teachable moment in the lives of others that will make a difference and add value. Jeremiah 29:11

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

It Gives Me Pause

I have been absent of late. There is no excuse for my absence other than a few life setbacks that have challenged my time management each day, and it took a little settling within and a few friends prodding me that it has been long enough to pause, take a breath, get my thoughts together, and get back to work. I thank them for using a velvet hammer to get the message across to me. I am humbled, to say the least.

I recently read that “Sin is not just the wrong stuff we do; it’s the good we do not do.” It can be interpreted this way,” “Every choice we make, and every action matters to someone. Every choice we do not make and every action we do not take matters just as much.” Amen? 

Our grandson is very interested in the creatures of the world. He loves anything that crawls, climbs, jumps, spends a web, flies, anyway, you get the drift; he likes bugs, lizards, spiders, snakes, and so forth. His four sisters loathe all these creatures and do not want anything to do with them: perfect situation for a big brother. He will spend hours in an animated state of observation when he encounters one of these creatures, especially turtles. When he finds one of these creatures, he just cannot look away; he is totally focused on its movement and actions. Then he finds some reference in a book or a documentary and learns all about the creature, and when I visit, I get an education on the life and activities of the latest find. Good stuff if you like creepy crawlies. Good stuff if you like to spend quality time with a grandson, just saying. 

The thing that most amazes me is his seamless delivery of information. He has studied these creatures and knows everything about them down to the smallest detail. As I listen, it gives me pause. 

This reminds me of something I read about PAUSE and studying our Bibles. The acronym for PAUSE:

P – Prepare your heart. Start your quiet time by reciting Psalm 131:1-2. Visualize everything competing for our attention into a box, then give the box to God to handle for us.

A – Ask God to speak to You. Before we dive into our Bible study, ask God to help us understand His Word and how to apply the scripture correctly to our life. We know He promised to give us His wisdom if we ask.

U – Unpack the passage. When was the passage written? Who was the intended audience? What was the main theme? What does the passage show you about God’s character? As we begin the study, we should read through the passage several times, each time answering a different question. Pay attention to any phrases and ideas that continue to stand out to us.

S – Summarize the scripture. What resonated with us as we were reading? Spend several minutes asking God to show us the truths in His Word, and then log the key takeaways from the passage. This will help us process and track the insights God offers us.

E – Exercise the application. If we want to grow stronger in our faith, it’s not enough to study God’s Word; we must live it!

As leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations, we must continue to make choices and take actions that matter to others. Our actions and reactions to daily events and life events tell the story of our life in Christ, which is important to others. We have only one choice to do what is right, do it right away, and do it the right way.

I encourage each of us to make a difference and add value to others by preparing our heart, asking God to speak to us, unpacking the message to simplify it for others to understand with our life’s walk and talk, summarizing the scripture to apply to real world events, and exercising the application of the Word for others to convey of the strength of faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love for others. As leaders, we should follow Solomon’s wisdom; give 70% of our time to areas of strength; give 25% of our time to areas to improve, and give 5% of our time to the areas of our weakness. 1 Kings 10:1-9.

Have a wonderful day, 

James Dodwell

A Time to be Thankful

I will be honest; I do not generally see myself as an ungrateful person. Yet with Thanksgiving approaching, I am reminded I need to be more conscious of those people and circumstances for which I am very thankful! The truth is I am not ungrateful, but I rarely take time to count my blessings. You know how it is to go from one day to the next taking care of whatever is right before you, right? We go from one event to another, one to-do item to the next, one ballgame to another, etc, etc… We get so busy. We are not ungrateful, just terribly busy.

So let me suggest we take a moment this Thanksgiving to pause and be grateful for all our many blessings. Just think for a moment, what are you thankful for in this season? A great family, good job, excellentmarriage, healthy children, food on the table, all the bills being paid...what would you put on the list?

As I sit here, a few things come to mind for me. A good family, job, house, health, and the like. I have tons to be thankful for in my life. I suppose one difference in myself and many I see in the world around me is who I thank for wonderful gifts. Whenever I count my blessings, I cannot help but give praise to God! It is amazing how that one step makes a huge difference in my soul. Not just to be grateful, but to acknowledge who is the giver of all the wonderful blessings in my life.

As we come to the Holiday season, I encourage you to take time to be thankful, but also be sure to thank the one from whom all blessings flow!

(Psalm 26: 6 - 9)

Peace and Grace,

Brother Chip

A Follower's Thoughts - Hold On Tight

Isaiah 41:13 says, “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” I will never forget the birth of our children. I can remember watching as my wife gave birth to our son, and three years later, the birth of our daughter. These were the most amazing events I have ever witnessed and probably ever will! What a joy it was to hold them and reach down and grab their tiny hand and fingers. Feeling them grip my hand brought tears of joy; seeing their little chest move in and out as they breathed in the air that God provided for them left me in awe and wonder! Words can’t describe the love I felt for my wife and them at those moments.

Our children are all grown up now. My son graduated college and is following his dreams. Our daughter is in college pursuing her dreams. Every time we see them, we hug them and let them know how much we love them. Most of all, we pray for them. When I read Isaiah 41:13, I’m reminded of how much we loved our children and still do love our children. You see, God does the same things for us that we did and still do for our children. Isaiah said that God takes hold of our hands and says, do not fear. When trials come our way, God takes us up into his arms and holds our hand, just as I had done those many years ago with my children—just knowing that brings peace of mind to me. What about you? Jesus wants us to come to him in times of fear. When we reach up and grab Jesus’s hand, I can only think that he will shed tears of joy, knowing that we trust in him to get us through difficult times in our lives. Are you going through a difficult season in your life? Take heart, reach out and grab the hand of Jesus, and trust in him. Just as little children trust in their parents to provide, we must trust in our Heavenly Father to provide because when we do, a wave of peace will come upon us and assure us that everything is going to be alright.

God Bless.

Correll

Make A U-Turn

Have you ever been lost? I have, or I should say we have, my family and I. Many vacation trips ago, before GPS and smartphones with guidance apps, we would drive to a vacation destination without an electronic voice telling us to “Stay in the two left lanes” or telling us “In one-mile exit to the right” or in my case, “Make a U-turn, then proceed to the route.” Instead, we had a large road atlas with all 50 states with interstates, highways, and county roads shown in detail on colorful maps. We would plot out our course with a high-lite marker and set off on our adventure. “Adventure” is the word my wife uses when we or I lose our way. It puts a positive spin on “not really knowing” where we are and takes some of the pressure off the pilot. I do not recall a time we traveled on vacation without at least one “adventure” sometimes, we were lucky enough to have several “adventures.” Just saying…

I have a decent, if not a good, sense of direction. Growing up enjoying the outdoors, hunting, fishing, exploring helped me find my way around in unfamiliar territory by seeking landmarks I could follow back to my starting point. A large tree, a pile of boulders, a game trail, the position of the sun, and so on and so forth; however, lately, the “lost” I am feeling has nothing to do with travel or exploring unfamiliar territory; it comes from deep within. The effect is an unusual experience for someone like me, an extroverted personality who enjoys learning new things, exploring new territories, conversing with others, and sharing my faith. 

If I had to describe the feeling of uncertainty within, I would use the Six Sigma term “Cause and Effect.” The “Cause” is in part due to the changes we have experienced in the world around us. We have experienced dramatic, unprecedented changes over the past several months, and it has been difficult to keep up and maintain a positive mental attitude due in part to the pandemic dilemma but, more importantly, having to remain distant and away from others, friends, family, new acquaintances. The “Effect” is an alone, lost feeling within that waxes and wanes. Some days the emptiness is barely noticeable; other days, it is much stronger.

The Good News is knowing this is just a season in my life, and God has His healing hand on us as He directs our lives. He is the ultimate navigator, the true north on our moral compass. As leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations, we must understand GPS is not short for Global Positioning System; it is short for “God’s Providence = Success.” We must never forget that the greatest model for our leadership direction always comes from the life of God himself. 

As leaders, when we find ourselves lost in the world, we should understand He provides comfort and cleansing to His people through comfort and security. He makes the path straight for us, then has us speak His words through empowerment and delegation. He provides good news and guides His people like a Shepherd through His Shepherding and direction.

We must understand no one can challenge God’s strength. He is a leader with unequaled power. He has the ultimate power and authority and lights the path for us to follow. He is the transcendent leader who builds and develops us. He is the creator and developer. He is the source for every need we have as wise counselor and provider.

It is in these few words I find comfort, strength, security, and a new sense of direction by knowing He is the Light and the Way to getting back on a familiar path with the understanding leaders must not only endure change, but they must also create it. “Spoiler Alert” leaders are normal people, human beings who are susceptible to the same feelings as everyone else. We sometimes suffer from the hardening of attitudes. We sometimes lose perspective on what real problems look like and what God can do. However, what makes the difference in a leader is their ability to focus on His promise and gifts of hope, faith, joy, and unconditional love and not focus on our problems.

I want to encourage each of us, when we find ourselves lost in the world; remember, God has a plan for our life, and wants us to rely on Him as we set the example and remain useful. Together, we as leaders are gifted abilities and talents to help us know to remain useful. We must be stretched and challenged; we must draw our identity from God, and we must possess stable values. I am encouraged that we, as leaders, understand when we are stretched and challenged, remain secure in Him, and remain solid in our convictions; we will be directed from the darkness into the light where we will find strength in Him to make a difference and add value to those around us. Jeremiah 13-1:11

Have a wonderful day,

James

FirstKidz bring us perspective on Prayer.

Who Was That Masked Man?

Who was that masked man? This question was on my mind recently when our son and his family visited with us to celebrate our Christmas gifting with them. We have five grands, three of them foster children, and two of the "fosters" were unsure about a big, jolly man with smiling eyes and a mask covering half of his face, dressed in casual attire and not a Santa suit. They walked around and gave me a few sideways glances. However, once I spoke to them, they recognized my voice and decided it was okay to come to me even if I was not dressed as Santa.

Our Christmas celebration was a little different this year, as I am sure was the same for your families. We are usually all bunched up at our son's in-laws on Christmas eve afternoon to visit all our daughters-in-law's side of the family. We share a meal, a little dirty Santa gift exchange, then we all nestle down, snug in our beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads for a long winter's nap. Christmas morning, we rise to see what Santa left for everyone. It is always a wonderful time. However, we sorely missed the warmth of being with all our family and sharing the gift of wide-eyed, surprised, excitement children have on Christmas morning. 

But, no matter, it was the correct decision for all our families because it is virtually impossible to control something you cannot see or touch, and it is up to us as leaders in our families, communities, and organizations, to follow the guidelines and do our level best to keep everyone as safe as possible. 

As I am writing this letter, I am reminded of the importance of having spiritual leadership in our homes and lives. Spiritual leaders assume the responsibility for the health of their relationships. This means they set the tone. They must initiate what they want others to do. Because no home can thrive without functioning according to sound leadership principles. In 1 Peter, the author challenges us to live with each other in an understanding way. We should honor one another and model submission and service. As spiritual leaders, we should initiate blessing rather than retaliate when things do not go our way.

In these unprecedented times, spiritual leadership is a "must-have" and a "must-do" in our families, communities, and organizations. We must be willing to step up and show patience, kindness, humbleness, faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love for others. When Spiritual leaders lead, they remember the example of Christ's sufferings. When they shepherd, they do it out of a sense of privilege rather than obligation. When they serve, they are motivated by the will of God rather than man. When they minister, they are driven by a Godly passion, not personal gain. When they are influencing, they make sure their life example speaks clearly. And when sacrificing, they have the patience to wait for the ultimate reward and do not expect immediate pay.

In this role, a leader is called to be a minister to the people. We should serve before being served, you know, be the hands and feet of Christ. We should be a mentor to the people. We should eagerly invest our time and talents when serving the people. In other words, we must set an example for others to follow. We should be a manager of the people. We have a responsibility and should exercise oversight over those who have been entrusted in our care, not just family but all those who surround us. Finally, spiritual leaders should/must be a model for the people. We should set an example for others to follow by demonstrating how to live our lives. You know by making a difference and adding value to all those surrounding us.

I want to encourage each of us to be the example of spiritual leadership for others to follow. It has been a tough year for all of us with the uncertainties of the pandemic plaguing our lives, and each day I pray for each of us to experience good health and the unconditional love of Jesus Christ in our lives. Remember, "A leader is to humble himself or herself by casting all his/her cares on God," 1 Peter 5:7. What better way to make a difference and add value than to follow His example for our lives, just saying… 1 Peter 5:1-4

Have a wonderful day.

James Dodwell

A Follower's Thoughts - Making Memories

We all love to make memories with our children. I have so many fond memories of my children when they were little. The trips to the beach were some of my fondest. Wendy and I would spend time with them on the beach making sandcastles, putting them on a float for the first time, and letting the waves carry them to shore; all the time, they were crying and screaming, hold me, hold me. I guess the ocean can be a little intimidating when you are a child. I also remember lying on the beach and letting my kids cover me in the sand until all you could see was my head. Oh, and another time my daughter climbed on a bar stool in the condo and fell off, breaking her wrist. Now, that was a memory, not so great when you spend one of your vacation days in the ER!

Some of my favorite memories are the times at church with our children: Wednesday night suppers in the Fellowship Hall, helping teach them in Sunday School, carrying them to Bible School, making Advent wreaths, watching them in Christmas plays, coaching them in Micro-Soccer, and yes, trying to keep my daughter from rolling around on the floor at the Arbor Service on Sunday mornings. You know, there is a saying, "it takes a village to raise a child." I wish to thank each one in my church village that helped build a foundation under my family, a foundation centered around Jesus.

As Christmas approaches, let us all continue to make memories with family, friends, and church family. Let us not forget what this season is about, Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 says, "For a child has been born, a son given to us, authority rest upon his shoulders: and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." May Jesus be included in our memories this Christmas, as well as every day moving forward. God Bless and Merry Christmas!

Correll Pritchard

I Saw Santa Claus

It was always my Dad's favorite Christmas story and, almost every year, he would ask me to share with others my experience on Christmas Eve, 1955. It was a long time ago, but the memory is as clear today as the experience was that night.

We were living in Goodwater and had been to Ashland for dinner with several family members. We had stayed fairly late, and I was concerned about getting home before Santa came and getting into bed like a good little boy. I was full of anxious and hopeful anticipation.

 As we pulled into the driveway, the lights of the car shined directly into the window of the living room. There he was, Santa Claus, looking directly into the lights of the car. I shouted, "There's Santa Claus next to the tree." The car had barely stopped as I jumped out and dashed to the door. I opened the door, turned on the light, and dashed through the small house looking for Santa only to realize he was gone.

I ran quickly back into the living room and realized Santa had been there and he must have gotten my letter because under the tree was a "Coonskin Davy Crockett hat" and a "Smoke-gun." My Mom and Dad asked me what I had seen that made me jump out and run in as I had. I explained that Santa was standing in the window. He turned and looked with surprise when he was caught in the headlights, and he had scampered toward the back door. When I came into the house, he was nowhere to be found.

That was sixty-five years ago. Until the day they died, our family always liked to talk about that experience, and none of us could ever explain it. But, I know this, "On that night, a long time ago, I saw Santa Claus." And, that vision is as real today as it was that night.

Perhaps, if we allow our hearts to be filled with faith, hope, joy, and love this Christmas, we could catch a glimpse of Emmanuel, "God With Us," this Christmas.

Get Ready! Look and listen! "Some will dream dreams; others will see visions." May it happen for you this Christ-Mass season.

Blessings, Bro. Mike 

What I Want For Christmas

 I remember the night well. I was in the third grade and our family had gone to Montgomery for a night of “window shopping.” Window shopping was a ploy during which people walked the sidewalks in front of all the big stores and looked at all the potential gifts displayed in the window to assess other’s attraction to the various toys, etc. on display. And there was a surprisingly good correlation between the emotions one displayed for the various gifts and what ended up under the Christmas tree from Santa.

     I had always loved window shopping but, on this night, I just could not get excited about anything. Just that week, a wiser classmate than I had told me the “truth” about Santa Claus. He told me that my parents had to pay Santa for everything he left at our house. Well, that was a bummer. My Mom and Dad were great people and fun to be around, but we did not have a lot of extra money and the way we got extra money was for one or both to work overtime. That meant less family time together. I had calculated in my eight-year-old mind the way to keep that from happening was not want anything for Christmas. So, I acted as if nothing in any of the windows was of any interest to me at all.

     It did not take my mother long to realize something was wrong and, as only she could do with a couple of questions, she unveiled the truth. I broke down crying and blubbered out, “Ole ______ had told me about Santa.” After Mother recovered from her anger with _______ (who she never forgave) for having broken my innocence, she sat down on a bench with me and explained Christmas Clubs and savings that enabled extra spending at Christmas and we would not miss out on any of the “good times” because we would all be together. It was amazing how quickly that assurance enabled my attention to return to the many attractions in the windows.

     Now, as I process that experience almost sixty-five years later, I realize how very precious presence is when compared to presents. A truth in our lives is all the presents in the world can not make up for the presence of those we love and there is no better time to celebrate this than during the Christmas season. So, I encourage you to find a way this Christmas season to be truly present with those you love. I know there is a pandemic going on and I think it could really be used in a wonderful way to give some quality presence to those you may wish to see and cannot. Here are a few thoughts:

1. For those from whom you are not distancing, invite them into your presence and give them the gift of undivided attention for thirty minutes. Make their interest and concerns the center of your world. Encourage them and assure them of the importance of their role in your life and tell them you love them.

2. For those you can not see in person, schedule some FaceTime or Zoom and follow the routine in number one above. I have been amazed how effective gatherings can be when you are present in these formats with others.

3. Send cards and flowers with personal notes.

4. Carve out some time to be truly present with Jesus. After all, Jesus is the reason we “live and move and have our being.” “Without Jesus, the Word of God, not one thing came into being.”

5. ….. Do whatever other things you hear God tell you to do…. If you are present, God will speak….

     Do not ever forget, we live “in the Communion of the Saints.” I plan to spend a little time there in their presence (those past and present) and encourage you to do so too. To paraphrase Paul, “No pandemic nor anything else in all creation, can separate our hearts from those we love.” May we make this the best Christmas ever by being presents in new and authentic ways. And that is what I want for Christmas.               

With much love, MERRY CHRISTMAS, Mike & Patsy Coe  

What's All This Stuff?

Our son and his family were preparing for a week's trip to the lake. They had packed the necessary items in the vehicle, and then they loaded the children into their car seats. Our grandson asked, "Dad, are we moving again?" "No, son, why do you ask?" Our grandson loudly exclaimed, "Then why is all this stuff in the car?" After our son stopped laughing, he explained to him with five children, it takes a lot of stuff to meet the needs of their family when one must plan for a week away. Too funny… children do not miss anything.

It is difficult to imagine the amount of "stuff" it takes to equip a family of five children and two adults, especially when three of the children are still in diapers and are bottle-fed. There are snacks of all kinds, fruit of all kinds, soy milk, almond milk, cereal, wipes, towels, several changes of clothes for each child, three sizes of diapers, bottles, formula, and so on and so forth. This list does not include all the favorite toys and games, life jackets, and strollers; the list is just endless, and then something important always gets left behind. Just saying…

As I ponder our grandson questioning why and our son explaining to him about the need for all the stuff they needed to equip them for a few days away, I am reminded of the story in Luke 10 when Jesus appointed a team of seventy leaders to go out on a ministry tour. Jesus had the huge job of equipping the seventy with everything they needed for the tour. It was not just stuff but also wisdom to help them succeed on their mission. 

Our son and his wife had a checklist of necessary items, and then of the things they "wanted," provided everything could fit into the vehicle. As Jesus prepared the seventy, He too had a list of items which were more instructions to empower the team before He sent them out:

First, He chose each one, hand-picked them, and appointed them to the mission. Next, He gave them meaningful tasks to prepare cities for His arrival, instructions, and examples of things and situations they might/would encounter. Next, He told them why the mission was so important. They needed to know what the plan was to stay on point and not deviate from the mission.

Then He calmed their fears with a long preparation speech. He explained as they entered a city to remain in the same house eating and drinking what was put before them. Heal the sick and tell them, "The Kingdom of God has come near to you." However, if the city does not receive them well, wipe off the very dust of that city that clings to them, and leave. Next, He cautions them about possible hardships because nothing of value comes without sacrifice. Next, He issued specific instructions about certain scenarios they might encounter and provide examples of how to work through them. He imparted His convictions about their work and the importance of their work to the mission.

As they began to return, He rejoiced with them. Each returned with joy in their hearts and filled with the Holy Spirit. He then evaluated and debriefed them on their experience. They were excited and told wonderful stories of conquering demons and evil spirits in His name; because they had been equipped and gifted empowerment from Him, they were successful. Finally, He prayed with them and affirmed their gifts and their future. He prayed, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you… rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

Sometimes you need a lot of stuff to be prepared for anything that might come along. Stuff that we need is more important than the stuff we want. Jesus understood the stuff the seventy needed and provided it to them to be prepared for anything they might encounter on their mission.

Let us be encouraged today that He has provided us everything we need to be successful in sharing our faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love for others. As leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations, we must use all this "stuff" to go out among the people to make a difference and add value to others. Luke 10:1-24

James Dodwell

Out of Control...Into the Water

Do you ever feel your life is out of control, spinning so fast that you cannot focus on one thing long enough to plant your foot and stop? What??? Yes, me, also. It happens too often these days with all the things happening in our lives, especially now during these times; even in the time way long ago, we now identify as the "pre-covid era", we called "normal" controlling a circumstance depended on the altitude of our attitude. After all, our attitude is controlled by our attitude, which gives us the ability to rise above a situation and review our options with a little more understanding. Lower altitudes inhibit our ability to look ahead or to see through all the stuff that is blocking our vision, on the other hand, higher altitudes allow us to see farther, "Granting us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference." 

Recently, our son's family came for a visit, and we went to the lake to enjoy the afternoon around the water. The water was extremely rough on that day due to wind and the number of other boaters enjoying their day. While on the boat the grans were stumbling around wanting to stand at the sides and watch the wake cast by the pontoons, but the bounce and rough ride cause them balance issues so we had to kind of subdue them and keep them still, impossible for a four and three year young full of energy, fueled by goldfish, grapes, fruit snacks along with a Capri sun juice packet or twelve. So, we decided to retire back to our friend's house to just get in the water, which was fine with our grandson because our friend's grandson was visiting them. He couldn't wait to share the afternoon playing in the sand and water with him.

It was a nice afternoon, chatting it up with good, longtime friends, talking about anything and everything, and watching the children entertain themselves. Once we begin to gather our belongings to leave, I was standing on the dock listening to the final conversations of the day when I stepped back to grab the cooler and begin to feel myself getting out of control. I could not move my feet fast enough to maintain my balance, and I started to fall backward off the dock. I wished I could have seen me from a different perspective. I bet I was a sight, arms flailing, legs and feet fighting for some solid surface, but to no avail, my body was out of control, falling like a tree being felled right into the shallow water. I remember thinking in those few seconds how out of control I felt, nothing I could do by then to prevent the fall and splash into the water. Oh, I was grabbing at everything, air, birds, dock post, but nothing was there to catch my fall, so I just gave in and patiently awaited my landing, which wasn't bad after I relinquished trying to maintain total control of the situation. It took a minute for everyone to realize what had happened, no harm, no foul, then the laughter began, and it was all good; wet and a little embarrassing; but refreshingly good. 

As leaders, we have been gifted an attitude of altitude to share with our followers. We are representatives of control and guidance for them in our walk and in our talk. It's God's gift to leaders who follow Him as we represent the hands and feet of Christ Jesus. Our vision has been cast, and we have an obligation as leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations to assist in maintaining some control to situations seemingly chaotic and hectic. As leaders, I believe it must do more with controlling self than controlling a situation or others. We walk among the people, share our hope, our faith, our joy, and our unconditional love. Jesus did not come and die for us to live a defeated life. He died to give us life everlasting, undefeated by the problems of the world. If we as leaders, retreat, our followers retreat, if we stand bold as lions (Proverbs 28:1), guess what, they will also.

The Bible warns us if we do not control self, first, we will be slaves to what controls us, food, lust, money, our words, our circumstances, and on and on. Controlling self is the very foundation for living a life of righteousness and selflessness that reflects Jesus and brings glory to God. He has gifted us the power to keep our life in control if we would only lean into Him and ask it in His name.

I encourage each of us to understand it is time to get into the word of God and allow Scripture to change our hearts and minds. Leaders reach out to others and help them understand that maintaining control starts with taking small steps each day to bring our thoughts and actions back in line with God's plan for our lives. After all, how do you eat an elephant, that is right, one bite at a time. Just saying… So today go out there, yes out there in a world of indecision and chaos, to make a difference and add value by sharing your faith, hope, joy, and the unconditional love of Jesus Christ with others. Galatians 5:22-23

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

A Follower's Thoughts - The Glue That Holds Us Together

Colossians 1: 15-17 says, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

What are Laminins? They are molecules that hold each cell of our bodies to the next cell. Without them, we would literally fall apart. When seen under a microscope, a laminin molecule is basically shaped like a cross. No joke! Now, I would say that it’s not a perfect cross, but it’s a cross. If you look up Laminin in a scientific or medical book, they are drawn out as cross-shaped. So, I got to thinking. All of us, as human beings, are held together by a cross, connected to a cross, connected to a cross, and so on. That is so amazing!

Don’t we all have days that everything goes wrong? I know I have had my share of those kinds of days. Somedays, I tell myself, why did I ever get out of bed this morning. We are going to have days where everything seems to come unglued. Worries, anxieties, fears, jobs to do, deadlines to make, the lists go on and on. It starts to delaminate us little by little until we feel ourselves coming unglued. We get ill, frustrated, perhaps we say hurtful words to others, and God forbid, let foul language come from our lips! When we have those kinds of days, we need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember how we are truly made; in God’s image, connected by a cross! Remembering the cross that our savior Jesus Christ died on for us is all we need to hold us together, together as an individual and as the body of Christ. For in Jesus, ALL things hold together.

God Bless.

Correll

It's Mother's Day...

It is Mother’s Day week.  We tend to at least acknowledge all the TLC that our mothers gave us.  Granted, many people have unfortunate experiences or memories around the subject of motherhood.  I have been personally touched by friends unable to have children. Others have had bad memories of a mom who wasn’t life-giving to them. If this is you, you are loved and thank you for your kind understanding as I write today. You have my deepest hopes for healing and wholeness.

It is true that generally, motherhood is a design from heaven. Why not celebrate this through our wives? A part of kingdom living is to bring new creation, beauty, hope, and wholeness to everyone in the sphere of our influence.  So, join me in adding value to the quality of the life of the mom at your house.  So husband/dad, for this week, cherish your wife/mom in a special way.  Write her a love/thank you note beyond the usual, “roses are red, violets are…”  Or, cook a meal without having to ask for instructions while providing a stay-at-home spa for her, alone, without you or the kids. Or, be more creative than me, just Google something neat. The point is that to “love and cherish” are vows of two different kinds. Focus on Cherish.  Mom’s tend to get pulled on, rubbed out, and just run down from giving. Cherish that fact in them. Pour back into them through appreciating and noticing.  Now, this should not be only once a year, but Mother’s Day is an opportunity to give it a try.

Gary Thomas writes and speaks on the subject of cherishing, and he has a great article published in Focus on the Family. The link is below. I truly hope you will read it. In the article, he refers to a gentleman he met who had been married twice due to the death of his first wife and became a case study on cherishing. Sadly, he noted that he had taken the blessing of his first wife for granted. He said that they both were wonderful, beautiful people, but he was different.  He confessed that his deliberate cherishing of his second wife had led to his own joy and added true happiness into their marriage. Take Gary’s advice, “instead of trying to change your wife (mom at home), change your attitude.”  This is a great gift.

Barry

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/what-cherishing-your-spouse-really-means/

Tell Your Story

On one particular day in February, for most of my life, my grandmother would pull me to the side and tell me a story, a story of family. She would always begin with, “It was cold, snowy day and most of the roads were closed between here and Birmingham…” then go on to say how the weather had quickly turned bad, just prior to taking my mother to the hospital, that day. She continued her tale about how my dad was in the Air Force stationed somewhere in Nebraska and was trying to get home but was stopped short in Birmingham, Al. at the bus station due to the snow. The only way for him to get home was to hitchhike, which in those days was safer, so that is what he did. 

Everyone was at the hospital waiting on my Dad and anticipating the birth of their first child. He didn’t make it in time for the birth, but he did make it later into the night. Once he arrived, his story was more vivid as he had to walk a couple of miles in the snow in sock feet because he had given his boots to a lady who was in the same predicament, trying to get home, and all she had was high heels. Well, they both caught the same truck into town, he got his shoes back and she went on to south Alabama. The story was something special to my grandmother because it spoke of the determination and strength of the human spirit when a person sets their mind to make something seemingly impossible happen.

Every year the story was enhanced somewhat with the snow getting deeper, the distance walked in sock feet became a little further, the temperature a little lower, and so on and so forth, but all in all, the story and the outcome was basically the same. I remember as I grew older how much I did not like being told the same story year after year, but my grandmother revelled in the telling it so I would patiently listen, eyes rolling, waiting for it to end so I could escape the unwanted attention. Some of the details are vague when it comes to the story because, after a while, I quit listening, but the memory of the joy it brought my grandmother to enlighten me and anyone within earshot, is crystal clear in my mind.

As I ponder this memory, I recall how uncomfortable it made me to be the center of attention for just a moment in time on those birthday celebrations, long ago and how much I did not want to hear the story. However, today as I remember those times, years after the passing of my parents and grandparents, I think I would like to hear the story, a story of family, shared just once more, poured out with all the joy, happiness and love in the words and voice of my grandmother.

We all have a story. Our life is filled with memories of good things and bad things, happy times and sad times, times of success and times of failure, times of celebration and times of sacrament. These stories mold and shape our lives and make us who we are. Our past experiences, if evaluated can help us to stretch and grow to reach our potential in life. We need to take the time to evaluate our experiences, to dissect the events, use the knowledge, our stories and the teachable moments to provide us with wisdom to help us become an example for others to make a difference and add value. 

Jesus conveyed His wisdom to His followers through parables or stories used to illustrate examples of unconditional love, joy, faith, and hope. As leaders, wisdom can be our best friend, especially in times of decision. For example, He teaches us through the telling of the stories such as the Ten Talents in Matthew 25, which is near and dear to my heart because at times, I am the one who buried his talent under a stone and I need to be reminded on occasions we are gifted skills and talents to share not hoard. 

Wisdom gifts us a foundation that helps us draw conclusions at times we have an impasse in our lives. As leaders, we need to understand the foundation for every decision is to honor and revere God. The story above is sort of my heritage, it is mine and mine alone, but I have found it to be useful, especially when I can tell it to our grandchildren and share with them the determination and love of family it describes. We must build off this heritage and conscience to illustrate what values we need to embrace. As leaders, as we pursue wisdom, we first go to the facts, then to our options. Once we have a consensus of mind and heart, then we must move toward inward peace.

I encourage each of us to tell our stories. Use these precious moments to share with others about how God has enlightened us to the fact we are fearfully and wonderfully made in His image to make a difference and add value to all those surrounding us. Psalm 139:14

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell