a van trip and an expression of love

I have been on a road trip the last two days.  A fellow minister’s mother passed away and he serves in our denomination.  So, I rode on a van with five young pastors to Kentucky.  I can tell you things can get very interesting when pastors start to get bored.  They begin to tease each other, tell of all the heroic things they have done, and all the stupid things they have done and said.  I can tell you, the stupid things said and done were way more numerous than anything else.  We laughed at each other and poked fun at each other and left each other just before getting to the point of not wanting to be around each other.

 

Our friend was very glad to see us and very emotional when we walked into the Church for his mother’s funeral.  He kept saying, “I will never forget this and I can’t tell you how much this means to me to know how far you’ve all drove to get here.”  We drove to express our love for him and the work he does to make our lives better.  It was amazing how we had no words to comfort him, we were just there.  You know, we get it all wrong when it comes to love most of the time as a husband, wife, parent, friend or neighbor.  We think it is what we give, do, or say that expresses the greatest love. I don’t think it is that at all.  I think it is just being there, that is one of the greatest expressions of love.

 

I believe that is what we will remember most in our lives.  It is the people who were there in our time of need.  I pray that SCC will be a church known as a group of people who will be there for the people in Henry County in times of need to express God’s love.

 

John 13:35 (Msg)   This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

 

Learn to Laugh

Yesterday was a great day.  It was very productive and I got many things done that needed to be done around the office.  I started work on this new series that we plan on doing starting in June called, “Man 2 Man.”  I can’t wait for this one.  I love Mondays anyway because it is the day that Rhonda cooks a good meal for our family and we all sit around the table for an extended amount of time laughing and talking.  That is the one thing I love about my family is that we love to laugh together.  After that great meal together Rhonda, Katelyn and I went and watched our church softball team in action.  You learn a lot about people watching them play ball.  It was so much fun sitting with the family and friends of the players in the stands watching and laughing.  We even did the wave, which was a sight with just twenty five people. 

 

After the game my daughter challenged me to a game of basketball.  She said she could shoot better at night with the lights on, because the sun was not in her eyes.  She wasn’t kidding.  Most of the time I let her win but last night I thought I would go out there and take her down real quick and come back in and finish off those chocolate covered peanuts.  She beat me real quick and she not only beat me, but my neighbor came over and I could tell he wanted to shoot the basket ball. So I said, “Ted, play Katelyn in a game of PIG.”  She took him down in about five minutes.  I said, “Ted don’t take it easy on her.”  He rolled his eyes at me after missing the shot she had just made.  It was fun until his wife made him come home.

 

What I great day.  It’s in the little things that make life so great.  In the Daws family we try laugh about as much as possible.  Why not today try laughing a little more?

 

Proverbs 17:22 (CEV) If you are cheerful, you feel good; if you are sad, you hurt all  over.

 

 

Open Mouth…insert foot

I don’t know if you have the problem I have of foot in mouth disease.  This disease is always bad but it is really, really bad when you are a public speaker.  Sunday, in our first service, I was telling everyone how we have become self serving as a nation.  Like when you go to the gas station it is self service or when you go to Wal-Mart they have a self service check out.  Then, I came to the statement that I could have left alone.  I said when it comes to eating we like self service that is why many of us choose a buffet.  At that point I remembered me sitting at a Golden Corral in Winder, Ga. a few months ago and one of my family members said, “you know what buffet stands for?” and I said, “no.”  They said big, ugly, fat, folks, eating, together.  I thought then it was funny because it described my family, me included.  Well, yesterday I said that in the first service only thought about my family.  Then after the service at lunch some brought that up and said it back to me and when I heard them say it I realized I could have offended just about everyone in that service.  What a stupid thing to say.  It’s just another time that I have to trust God to put stoppers in the ears of anyone that could have been offended.  That is just one of the many stupid things that happens whey you have foot in mouth disease.

 

Have you ever experienced foot in mouth disease? If so I would love to hear your story.

 

 

God Focused Dreams

Wow, I can’t believe it is 7:08 a.m. I have been up since 4:30 a.m. working on the sermon for Sunday.  This has been one of those that I have studied for hours and can’t seem to get it.  I don’t know if you have ever started to write a letter or a paper for school and after writing for a while you read it and say, “That’s no good,” and then wad up the paper and throw it in the trash.  Well, I have been through that process over and over.  I have hit the delete key on my computer more than I would like to admit.

 

I believe that God has come through again and given me something to say that will encourage us to follow his dream for us.  As I was preparing to talk about broken dreams this Sunday, I found myself thinking, “what good is a dream if it only benefits me or mine?”  This may sound nuts to you and maybe it is my lack of sleep, but it just hit me today that it is impossible to have a dream that God can bless if it doesn’t involve giving hope and help to other people.  If you take that equation out of your dream it’s all self promotion.

 

The worst part about that is I have asked God to bless a lot of things in my life that were good things, but if the truth was known my heart’s motive was so I would look good.  God forgive me.  I don’t know about you, but I really want all of my dreams to be God focused dreams.  When God blesses them, other people’s lives are blessed with hope and help.  That’s what I believe the Bible means when it talks about living for the glory of God.

 

Romans 6:13 (NLT)   Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.

 

Enjoy the Journey

Yesterday my staff took me to lunch after our staff meeting.  You know what I love about my life is that I have get to share it with people that I love, my staff and my Church.  We have moments when we have to be honest with each other but at the end of the day we love each other.  We all believe that God has given us a commission to change the world one person at a time.

 

Life is not about a destination, it is all about the journey.  Last February I was driving back from our winter vacation when I realized this more than ever.  My son who is now 17, sat up front with me while every one else went to sleep.  We had a lot of small talk as he changed the channels on the radio, he loves all types of music.  I thought after I returned home, “what was the most significant moment of the whole week for me?” It was the ride to Orlando and back.  It was the journey.

 

T hat is the greatest joy I get by being married to the same woman for almost 22 years and being the pastor of the same church for 14 years and having the people that work with me everyday be with me many of those years.  It is the journey how we have grown together.  I guess one thing I have learned through the years and through many struggles is don’t spend so much focusing on where you want to go and miss the good people God has placed around to enjoy the journey together with.

 

I would like to say thank you to some people who have been on that journey with me a long time.

 

To my wife Rhonda – Thank you for believing in me and my dream.

To Angie Benton – Thank for all your years of faithful service to me.
To Chesnee Dorsey – Thank you for all your big picture thinking.
To Ricky Mosel – Thank you for be willing to do whatever it takes.
To Angie Martin – Thank you for making sure I have time for myself.
To Tammy House – Thank you for your passion for others.
To Stacy Steen – Thank you for helping us put legs on our vision.

 

To all the people at SCC that have believed in me and the vision more than I have believed in me.  I say thank you for being on this journey with me and holding my hands up when I wanted to give up.  You have always been there to lift me up.  I would not be the pastor I am today without you wonderful people encouraging me and supporting me the way you have.

 

I love that I have gotten to share years with all of you on this journey to be all that God want us to be.  I hope I get to have many more with you.

 

Combating Brokenness

Yesterday was a day I witnessed brokenness all day in those around me.  When I went into my office, the first note I received was a note that someone’s family member had passed away. That family is broken because of the loved one dying.

 

I went to my first appointment and it was with a Pastor who had a moral failure over a year ago and he has been trying to keep his family together.  Now, he wants to start over as a pastor and feels no one will give him a chance because he had this failure.  He was broken because of guilt and shame.

 

On the way home from that meeting, I talked with another pastor on the phone who was broken because he had been at his church for nine years and built a new church building. Now, because of the economy and a situation out of his control, the bank is going to foreclose on the church.  He may be forced to move his family to a place that he doesn’t want to go, just to survive.  My heart was broken as I listened to him literally cry for 45 minutes and ask, “Why?”  He was saying over and over again, “ministry is not supposed to be this hard.”  He was broken.

 

When I returned to my office I received an email that revealed more pain of people broken financially.  I walked back down the hallway and met a person who was just worn out from the stress of having a child with a lot of special needs.  She was broken and physically exhausted.

 

I came home and played basketball with my daughter and was having a great time and then I took the long three point shot.  The ball went into the air, the fans went wild as it looked to be the game winning shot. (Of course the only fan was me.)  The ball hit the back board and would you know it, the back board broke. 

 

We all face brokenness all day. We just have to open our eyes and see it in ourselves and in other people.  The Bible says that we are to confess our sin to one another and pray for one another that we may be healed.  Again, confess our brokenness and let prayer be the healing agent of God for our brokenness.

 

James 5:16 (NIV)   Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

 

Thank you SCC

When I began this Blog in November of 08, it was to let the people of SCC get a little closer to me.  The goal was if I could have a three minute conversation with every person each day, this is what is on my mind.

 

Today, I am so thankful for all the goodness of God that is expressed through the people of SCC every day.  That goodness has never been more expressed than this past weekend when 82 people showed up at all five Kroger stores of Henry County and bagged groceries, pumped gas, greeted the customers, all to benefit A Friends House in Henry County.  It is our belief at SCC that, “when we give, people live.”  Thank you SCC for your God-like heart.

 

I want to say thank you for bringing all the supplies to help the Haven House in Henry County.  It was an overwhelming sense of gratitude as I looked at all the bags of supplies that lined our sanctuary.  I know that many women and children will receive hope and help as a result of the love you expressed by your unselfish gifts to broken people in our county.

 

It is just amazing to me the more I see people reaching out to help other people who are broken, that the person who gives the help is automatically helped.  I have found out in my own personal life that when I give, it brings alive the spirit of God in me more than anything.

 

Stockbridge Community Church, I want to tell you I love you and I am so blessed to be able to serve with you as we make a difference in the lives of the people of Henry County through the power of God that is expressed through love.

 

Matthew 25:34-40 (NIV)   ”Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

 

 

two keys to peace

I went to bed last night watching the news which is not a good thing to do went you are a person like me because I usually get keyed up and can’t go to sleep.  I was watching all the Tea parties happening all over the country.  Our country is in a defining moment and we definitely need God to help us.

 

The reason I bring all that up is because it affects all of our lives and there are many things that are going on that we can’t do anything about that concern us deeply.  It is amazing to me how God always gives me the constant reminders that he is in control.  Last night when I was watching the news my daughter, Katelyn said, “Dad, why are you watching that? God is going to do what needs to be done.” 

 

The question that I think all of us are asking is, “How can we have peace while our country and the world is experiencing so much fear?”  Here are two things that have helped me live in peace:

 

Ø Peace comes when I am aware of God’s presence.

I must be aware of what I can’t see, which is a lot more real than what I can see.  We tend to think that peace means the absence of excitement and conflict.  Peace is really found when you live in the presence of God

 

           Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)   You will keep in perfect peace him 
           whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

 

Ø Peace comes when I understand that God has something for me to do. 
This is one of the greatest peace factors outside of the one above.  When you realize that you are in this world for a reason and a purpose and you discover it; that brings peace and fulfillment to your life.

 

 

So here is the question:   Are you at place of peace in your life?  I can tell you it has taken me years to discover what I am sharing with you.  I think when I quit trying to be what I thought everyone else wanted me to be, and found out what God had wired me up to do, and went for it, that is when I found peace.    

 

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)   For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

 

God’s Word Reads Us

Yesterday I was standing in a funeral home talking to a couple from SCC who had come to show their support for a fellow congregate whose father had passed away.  While I was standing there talking with them, the wife shared how she had to pull her Bible out and start reading it when her husband’s ex-wife came around.

 

I really thought she was kidding, but she said it was for real.  I laughed and thought how funny.  Then she shared with me how that when she would try to find those verses that would back up her attitude towards a person who was evil in her eyes,  she would always read something about how we are to pray for our enemies and those who try to use us.

 

As our conversation went on and I listened to what she had to say, of course the first thing that came to my mind was a warning to her husband.  I looked at him and said, “You had better look to see if her Bible is in her hand when you come home.  If it is, it might be a sign to you that something is up!”  Of which could be a blessing because at least he would know something was wrong, instead of being like the rest of us having to ask our wife, “Is something wrong?” and hearing that dreaded word, “Nothing.”

 

You know what this lady shared is true about God’s Word.  When you begin to read it, it begins to read you.  Has that ever happened to you?  You need to apologize to someone, but you haven’t because you have reasoned in your mind that the person didn’t deserve the apology and you feel good that you are not going to.  Then, you decide to pick up the Bible and begin reading it and all of the sudden that person comes to your mind that you have thought about apologizing to.  That is God’s Word reading you.  Let it, because it will set you free.

 

John 8:31-32 (KJV)   Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

 

Stop, Drop, and……Pray

Sunday I shared with the people SCC that one of the greatest ways to have your heart healed by God is to start praying.  I shared a story about a time when firemen come to our school to teach us not to play with matches, but they also taught us that if our clothes were to catch on fire, our first reaction should be to stop, drop, and roll.

I believe that when I our life is burning out of control and we feel we are going to be consumed by our problem, it is just a sign for us to stop, drop, and pray.  The Bible says it this way,  Psalm 46:10 (NIV) “Be still, and know that I am God…”

I really think God desires for all of us to reconnect with him through prayer.  I shared Sunday how that if we really wanted God to answer a prayer that we should make a prayer list.  Just write some things down on a piece of paper and ask God everyday to do something about those needs.  I can tell you that something changed in me when I did that for a couple of weeks.  I found myself letting go of trying to fix the things that were out of my control.  It was like when I wrote them down I was really releasing them to God.  The more I pulled the list out and prayed over it, the more I began to trust God that he was going to do the miracle.  I can tell you my list is not all about me and my family.  But I did have one personal request for myself out of the 10 that I wrote out.  Can I tell you the one that God chose to answer first was the personal one for me?

I encourage you to make your list and ask God everyday for His help with whatever is on your list.  You may be surprised like I was at which prayer he decides to answer first.