A Follower's Thoughts - Hold On Tight

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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

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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

An Open-Door Policy

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Lately, I have been reminded more than once about the need to find time alone with God, encouragement to make this a priority daily. I’ve seen the reminders in print, heard the words in a sermon, and song. 

As disciples, we are the great cheerleaders of gathering. We are gatherers of people, excited to come together to share in a joy and love for our God. We encourage one another to be in worship, join a small group, serve on a team… These are incredibly important elements in our discipleship and without a doubt, we need to gather together, learn, and serve together in His name. But the picture is not complete without quiet, alone time with our great God. We have an open invitation from the very God that spoke to Moses from a mountaintop, split the sea, and resurrected our Jesus from the tomb. We’ve been invited into his presence for a personal relationship.with.God. He has an “open-door” policy designed especially for each of us to come often and individually. We can’t miss out on this. God is waiting for us to open the conversation, “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you” Jeremiah 29:12-14

When we can’t or won’t take the time to make prayer/devotion time alone with God, there’s a problem to be dealt with. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book “Life Together,” reminds of the pitfalls of only finding God in community.

“Whoever cannot be alone should beware of community. Such people will only do harm to themselves and to the community. Alone you stood before God when God called you. Alone you had to obey God’s voice. Alone you had to take up your cross, struggle, and pray and alone you will die and give an account to God. You cannot avoid yourself, for it is precisely God who has singled you out. If you do not want to be alone, you are rejecting Christ’s call to you, and you can have no part in the community of those who are called.”

As we move forward, one step at a time, on our journey, may we remember to gather one on one with our Father in heaven regularly, intentionally, and thankfully.

Tammy


From "You are the Beloved - Daily Meditations" by Henri J.M. Nouwen

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“Let Him Love You”

“The question of receiving the love of Christ is really very important. I personally feel more and more that sometimes it is harder for us to fully receive love than to give it. I am more and more convinced that we will find the peace and joy of Christ when we let him truly enter into the deepest places of our heart, especially those places where we are afraid, insecure, and self-rejecting.”

Henri Nowen

A Follower's Thoughts - Let's Go Fishing

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John 21: 1-3 says, "After these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathering there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.' They said to him. 'We will go with you.' They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing."

When I read my bible, I love to imagine myself right there in the middle of what's going on. I love this scene in the last chapter of John. Here are some of Jesus's disciples standing by the sea. I wonder what they were talking about? Do you think the conversation might have centered around the events they just had been through? After all, they had seen Jesus bound in chains and taken from them. They had seen Jesus being crucified on a cross, his body laid in a tomb, then finding out that his body was no longer in the tomb. To top that off, Jesus appears to them, talking and sharing meals with them! What a whirlwind of emotions the disciples must have been going through. Fear, sadness, anger, shock, disbelief, you name it. I would imagine great joy when Jesus appears to them and has fellowship with them. What an emotional ride that must have been!

I can see Peter walking away from the group, looking out over the sea, breathing in the salty air, watching the sea birds glide over the waves, and saying, "I'm going fishing." Really, Peter? After all you and the other disciples have been through? I got to thinking about what Peter said, and it dawned on me that maybe Peter wanted to go fishing to take his mind off the trials and tribulations he and his friends were going through. I'm sure Peter loved to fish. After all, he was a fisherman by trade. I think Peter just wanted to get away from the troubles and problems life was throwing at him. We need to apply this scripture into our lives in that sometimes when life deals us trials and tribulation, fears and anxieties; we also need to get away. Take a deep breath and step back. Take a hike, ride a bike, call and talk to a friend, visit a loved one, start a hobby, read God's Word, and yes, go fishing.

We know how this scene ends. The disciples caught nothing that night. But guess who shows up on the beach at daybreak? Jesus. Jesus knew the frustrations they were going through, just as he knows every frustration we have. So, Jesus shouts from the shoreline where the disciples should cast the net. They did as he said, and they filled the net full of fish. Jesus calls us daily to cast our net, even when it seems hopeless. We must cast our net and cast it with faith. The disciples did and looked at what happened—a net full of fish. Good things happen when we cast our nets for Jesus. Lives are saved, brokenness is healed, sorrow is turned to joy, love destroys hate, and light is brought into darkness. Are you ready to cast your net? Are you prepared for a peace that surpasses all understanding? Only Jesus can bring that into our lives. Peace of mind is a rare commodity these days. When trials and troubles come our way, and they will, may we all look out over the oceans of our lives and say, "I'm going fishing."

God Bless.

Correll

New Life In Christ

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Late one summer afternoon, I grabbed my camera and went outside with high hopes of capturing something to add to my photos and messages collection. As I toured the backyard, I noticed an unusual-looking crusty brownish-orange bug, with tiny black specks, on a shrub. I really wasn’t sure what kind it was, but the green leafy background created a colorful photo. Then, something very astonishing happened! Right after I took the first photo, the bug sat upright on its bottom side and I jokingly asked, “Are you posing for the camera?” I began taking numerous photos, and within less than a minute, it began shedding its exoskeleton. As my observation continued, I became excited about photographing a wonderful presentation of God’s creation. The little body eased its way out of the upper end, but it puzzled me. There were no spots and it was no longer orange, but a dull yellow color. It crawled to the edge of the empty skeleton, and then after a few seconds, it crawled onto the top of the hollow, crusty skin. It did this two times before traveling to the opposite side of the leaf, and at that moment, the message within began to unfold.

I lingered longer in observation of the metamorphic display and patiently watched as the outer layer became shiny and translucent. Faint evidence of little black dots slowly emerged as the pale yellow color mutated into a yellowish-orange, and within minutes, the black dots became increasingly prominent. What I had witnessed was the progression of an insect through the larvae and pupa stages. Surprisingly, it was a ladybug and new life had just begun!!

So much of God’s nature parallels life’s lessons and it leaves lasting impressions in my mind. Just like the ladybug returning to its old skin, oftentimes we lay down our heavy loads at the foot of the cross and then turn right back around to retrieve them. Like the ladybug returning to its exoskeleton, sometimes we are guilty of returning to lifestyles that are not pleasing to God. The bug traveled to the opposite side of the leaf to begin its new life, and so it is with us. Shedding the skins of our old nature allows us to make a one-hundred-eighty degree turn and live in peace and victory, as we begin our new life in Christ.

I’ll never forget that afternoon when God “step-by-step” unfolded a beautiful and extraordinary illustration of new life, not only for a tiny ladybug but for me, as well! What a forever memory it has created in my memory bank and I sure hope it will touch your life, too. The photos of that day still bring me joy, because of the intricately designed way that God created nature and He created us to also have new life in Him. If you’ve not already made the vital decision to surrender your heart to Jesus, I hope that you will do so while you still have breath and a heartbeat! It will be the most important decision you’ll ever make and YES, it’s a life or death decision! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Melinda Blair

Do I Know You?

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There is an old story about two men arriving at the Pearly gates about the same time. One of the men was excited beyond measure and the other sullen and looking a little afraid. The excited man said, “Hey, friend what is the matter, you should be happy.” The sullen man said, “I don’t know where I am and what to be happy about.” “Well,” said the excited man, “You are at the Pearly gates of heaven and we as Christians are about to be invited in.” The sullen man was thoughtful for a moment, then said, “I don’t know anything about this heaven, or what being a Christian means nor what to expect.”

The excited man said, “I have spent my life sharing the gospel and living an exemplary life helping others and doing what is right, my life’s walk and work spoke volumes about being a Christian”, “Say, you look familiar do I know you?” The sullen man replied, “Well, I should look familiar, I was your next-door neighbor for 20 years.”

There have been many times over the course of my life when I had the perfect opportunity to share my faith with someone and was as quiet as a church mouse. I am unsure why I did not say anything, other than the fact I felt unsure of what I could say and if it would be received as a positive message of hope and unconditional love or be taken as me being a pushy, self-righteous Bible thumper. Either way, I failed to share the Good News with a neighbor. The odd thing is I can remember almost every time I had the opportunity to share and did nothing. I believe these memories are God’s gift to me as “teachable moments” meant to challenge me going forward and to build a vision off their values.

As I pondered over this challenge, I was led to Mark 8:34-36, it begins “…He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me…””. He was communicating how to lead and set an example for others to follow.  Leadership is servanthood. There is no other definition that better defines a leader. We as leaders, must let our purpose prioritize our life. As in the story at the beginning the exited man had the heart and knowledge of what he should have been doing but he was not focused with a purpose of reaching others. We must live the life before we can lead others. We cannot share what we do not know for ourselves and we cannot give away what we do not possess. 

Our impact, as leaders, comes from relationships, not positions. Anyone can have a position but building a relationship takes special people with a heart for others. Leaders must replenish themselves. Our pastor said it best one afternoon while he was visiting my office. He said, “I just came from a meeting with my pastor to get my tank refilled.” Yes, even good pastor’s need a mentor to help them stay focused and recharged. Therefore, we should surround ourselves with people who can and will offer support as a Christian mentor and are willing to be honest with us. As leaders, we must call for commitment. We as, “Shepherds” must be committed to protecting our “flock”, sharing our faith, offering hope, expressing joy, and providing unconditional love for others to set the example.

As leaders, we must show security when handling tough issues because credibility comes by meeting needs and solving problems. We must choose and develop key people. People with a heart for serving others, a gift of being able to communicate clearly and concisely, and a willingness to do what is right in difficult situations. Also, as leaders, we must understand there is no success without a successor. Which brings me to my point, if we, as leaders, do not take the time to share the Good News with others and go the extra mile to develop those around us, what will our leadership look like in the future? Just saying…

I encourage each of us as leaders, to understand, “Leadership IS servanthood” at its finest. Good leaders are the difference makers in our society. We must take the opportunity to make a difference and add value to all those around us, daily. Whether it is through our talk or our walk it is our responsibility to share the Good News about faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love. Mark 8:34-36

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

Woe Is Me

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“Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” These words are spoken by Isaiah as he experiences the pure holiness of God and is called as God’s prophet. It is an awesome and humbling encounter convicting Isaiah with a sense of guilt and unworthiness and causing him to feel reluctant and hesitant. This captures, in a true sense, what many have felt as they answered God’s call to be witnesses and teachers. I believe some observable attributes have always characterized the lives of the saints in our history. Following are some thoughts:

1. The authentic call of God is evidenced by unconditional love and compassion for all people in all places and all times. “For God so loved the world… God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17).”

2. Saints have a hesitancy to judge others usually brought on through a deep and contrite awareness of their own sin. “How can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye (Matthew 7:4)?

3. Saints are truth-telling, neighbor-loving, humble-walking witnesses who engage others in prayerful, inclusive, loving dialogue and understand, clearly, that our passion to defend our own personal beliefs often blinds us to God’s call to love.

As I pray this morning and reflect on the above, I feel my heart moved and I understand, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” And, for me,…. It’s back on the Potter’s wheel over and over again…….. “How is it with your soul?”

Brother Mike


A Follower's Thoughts - Scars In Our Lives

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John 20: 27-29 says, "Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your fingers here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.' Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, 'Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.'"

Most, if not all, of us have scars. Whether it be emotional or physical, scars are there. They are a reminder of just how fragile we are. We tend to carry our emotional scars within our souls, locking them up and throwing away the key. Hurtful words, degrading comments, wrongful acts against us can create emotional scars. Our physical scars are visible on the outside. Physical scars remind us of the stupid mistakes we make. They remind us sometimes that we tend to do things before we think. And yes, physical scars make us ponder this question. Isn't this a disaster waiting to happen?

So, through all our emotional and physical scars that we may carry around in our lives, there is someone whose scars trump our scars. That someone is Jesus Christ. Jesus calls us to put our fingers in his hands and put our hand in his side, and do not doubt but believe. For it is by his wounds that we are healed. God Bless.

Correll

A Follower's Thought

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1 Kings 19: 11-13 says, "The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Then a great wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'"
When I read this scripture in 1 Kings, I imagine myself in Elijah's shoes. God had called him out to be in his presence. Does God call you out to be in his presence? He calls me out daily to read his word. He calls me out to take walks with him, whether it be in the woods, on a hiking trail, in my own yard, or walking around doing my daily work. The point is that God calls. We must hear that call and respond. I will admit, there are times when I don't respond. I've come to know that usually, when I don't respond is when the noises of life drown out the quiet whisper of God, saying, "come be in my presence." Just like the scripture is describing. Elijah could not hear God in the wind, in the earthquake, nor in the fire. He heard him in the whisper. I find myself more and more seeking God's gentle whisper, especially when life's winds, earthquakes, and fires are drowning out God's voice. I hope each one of you will find the time this Holy Week to come into God's presence and hear His gentle whisper. Read your Bible, take that walk, find a quiet place to be in God's presence. You will be glad you did. God Bless.

Correll

Practicing the Presence All Day, Everyday

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"You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren't willing to receive from me the life you say you want." John 39-40 (MSG)

Generosity, It's More Than That - Tammy Wendling

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After working in the non-profit world for a few years, talking about generosity is about as uncomfortable as “hearing” someone speak on the subject. Our minds immediately refer to dollar figures. For today, I’d like to wander down the road to suggest we view the spiritual discipline of generosity as a beautiful and transformative gift that enriches our lives well beyond those receiving our generosity. Putting aside the obvious and much-needed financial offerings to charities, groups, or individuals, let’s consider how we become more generous in new ways in our everyday lives.

     -With each day, we have the opportunity to share and show love to everyone we meet. A kind word, a smile, a head nod are undoubtedly lovely, but how do we elevate our offering of love to a generous offering?

Think about it; generously offer love.

     -Perhaps we consider how to be generous in how we judge others. Ouch! While we typically value our thoughts, decisions, understandings greatly, what happens when we broaden our judgment of others’ thoughts and decisions more generously? Instead of snap judgments confined to our own points of reference and context of understanding, we pause to consider something larger than ourselves.

   “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

Think about it; consider generosity before quickly judging others.

     -This thought is challenging and difficult to consider. What if we commit to generous forgiveness? Forgiveness is a challenge with the best of intentions. How our relationships, spiritual health, and our world would benefit if we committed to abundant forgiveness.

Think about it; generous forgiveness.

     -What about our time and how we spend it? Do we have the ability to give more generously of our time to the Lord and in service to others? We are indeed an incredibly “busy” society, but are we “busy” with things that matter eternally?

Think about it; generously offering our time to the Lord.

     -And our talents, each of us has a spiritual gift God wants us to share to glorify His kingdom. The difference we would make in this world if we confidently identified our spiritual gifts and chose to share them with others is hard to imagine. Do we view this gift from God as an opportunity or burden?

Think about it; sharing our spiritual gifts to glorify God’s Kingdom.

     The list could go on. Overall, in considering the spiritual discipline of generosity, it’s my goal to view it in a larger frame than mere financial means. There’s so much more to giving generously. It’s essential to commit to becoming generous in all aspects of our lives. 

Dear Lord, help me commit to becoming a more all-around generous believer.

Tammy

A Follower's Thoughts on Generosity

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A Followers Thought - Correll Pritchard

Almsgiving and Generosity

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says, "The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work." Doesn't it make you feel good to help someone in need? It does me good. And guess what? It makes God feel good too. After all, didn't he say so himself in 2 Corinthians 9:7? Almsgiving and generosity are about giving of ourselves to help others. Whether it's giving our money to the church, charities, or the homeless person down the street, or whether it's giving our time and talents on missions trips, community projects, or as simple as saying a kind word to a stranger.

The point is it's about giving. You see, it's not about us. It's about others, thinking of others before ourselves. Jesus was the greatest example of giving. He gave his life for us on a cross so that we may have eternal life! Now that's the ultimate definition of almsgiving and generosity! As we go through these 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter and the resurrection of Jesus, may we reflect on what Christ did for us and give our money, time, and talents to others in need. And remember, do it with a cheerful heart because God loves a cheerful giver. God Bless.

Correll