The Last Post

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The second to the last post on this blog

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No more "Words From The Warehouse"

This will be the last entry on this blog under the name "Words From The Warehouse." Tomorrow will be the first official Sunday where there is no Axios. We will be attending The Point Church where my friend, Brian Jones, is the pastor. This doesn't mean that I am ending this blog or leaving the "blogoshere" but it does means that the next time I post, this blog will take on another look. It marks the ending of one stage of my life and the beginning of a new one. With this blog, my life has literally become an open book and the next chapter is about to be written. If I were to write an autobiography, the chapters may look like this:

Chapter 1 - Indiana Born: Once a Hoosier Always a Hoosier (1960-1978)

I loved being raised in Indianapolis, IN. I am not a Bulldog or a Volunteer nor will I become whatever a Colorado person is but I am and always will be (even though I have not lived there in 30 years) a Hoosier. In the Bible, people were always identified by birthplace, parent and vocation. I can proudly say that my father's name is Nolan, a Kroger Dairy man from Indianapolis. I am his son and a product of that environment. It is a big part of who I am and the reason I always shop at Kroger.

Chapter 2 - Chattanooga, TN: Class Rooms and Dorm Rooms (1978-1984)

Some of the best times of my life were spent at Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga. I graduated in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible and went on to Seminary there. I finished my graduate work in 1984 but did not officially graduate with my Masters of Religious Education until 1986. Some of the best friends I have ever had came from this chapter of my life especially my three brothers: Tim Shelton, Mark Trammell and David Snow. I loved being on my own, meeting a whole new group of people, and opening up my eyes to the world around me. It was a great time.

Chapter 3 - Dark Years and Wilderness Wanderings (1984-1986)

Without going into any detail, all my hopes and dreams and my calling came to a sudden stop shortly after I left Tennessee. All that I had ever wanted to be, the thing that I felt called to do, what I had studied and prepared for, was to become a Youth Pastor and it seemed like that was not going to happen. I remember talking to God about Romans 8:28 and telling Him that I had Him beat on this situation. Fortunately, this wasn't the last chapter of my story and God's promise proved to be true. Here's the subpoints to this chapter:
Geigertown, PA: Where the Wheels Came Off
Chicago, IL: A Lot of Fun But Still Falling Apart
Atlanta, GA: The Rebuilding Begins
Ft. Lauderdale: The Move I Didn't Make
Woodstock, GA: Johnny Hunt and the Darkness Is Lifted

Chapter 4 - Woodstock\Canton, GA: New Life, True Love, and Fulfilled Dreams (1986-2002)

The first time I went to First Baptist Woodstock, God spoke to me and the dark years ended as suddenly as they began. Johnny got me active in the Youth Department. I met my true love in 1988 and married Pattie in 1989 and instantly became the father of three. My dream of becoming a Youth Pastor became a reality in 1990. I served as Youth Pastor and eventually, Associate Pastor, at the Hopewell Baptist Church in Canton for 12 years. They were good years, great memories, wonderful people, and I will always be grateful to Pastor Norman Hunt for giving me that opportunity.

Chapter 5 - Holly Springs: Axios and a New Call (2002-2008)
In 2000 I began to sense God leading me out of youth ministry. Pattie and I publicly surrendered to a new calling but we were not sure what that calling was. We ended up staying at Hopewell for 2 more years as Associate Pastor until it was evident that it was time to move on. It was never my intention to start a church and I was hesitant to say that I wanted to be a Pastor but much like Paul, when he was at a crossroads and watched God block every effort until he received a vision for a new direction, the vision for Axios was birthed by process of elimination. I knew that I didn't want to assume a role as a "staff" person again and I felt no inclination to move from this area and I saw no churches that were compatible with the vision God was giving me concerning church but I had a group of people ready to follow my leadership. So we decided to start Axios and God miraculously provided the means and the place and planted us in Holly Springs. He gave me a heart for the town and gave us six wonderful years with the ups and downs of church planting for which I will always be grateful.

Chapter 6 - Denver, CO: The Adventure of a Lifetime? (2008-?)
When we started Axios, I always had a sense that the 5 year mark would be significant. I didn't know what would happen at that mark but I felt that we would know if we had succeeded or if it would be time to say "It's been great but its time to move on." When that day came, it was not clear what God was doing. There was plenty of good things happening and significant victories being won but by Easter of this year it was clear that the latter of the two was coming true. The swiftness of the way things transpired following Easter literally felt like God was pulling the plug on this ministry and on the first Sunday in June, 6 years almost to the day of our first service, we held our last service in the warehouse. But as swiftly as Axios was coming to a close, God was opening a new door in Colorado. I believe that God used these years to prepare me for what is to come. I do not know if Colorado is my final destination or just a stepping stone to the significant ministry God has ordained for me to do. But I am grateful that there is still another chapter to write and that God has counted me worthy (axios) of this new call.

Thanks to all of my family and friends that have followed this blog and stayed in contact with me through this medium. You can follow this Colorado chapter of my life with my next blog. Check back at this blog for a link to my next blog. Hopefully it will be up and running by Wed, Sept 10.

Sadie's Road Trip

We had a great Labor Day weekend even though all of us went our separate ways. Rayanne went camping with Jenny and her family and friends. Joe went camping with Rachele and her family and friends. That left Pattie and I going to Tennessee to see our parents all by ourselves and no one home to care for Sadie. And even though Ben was coming home, his schedule was full so we took her with us. She did great and absolutely loved my family's pond as you can see in the video. I hope your weekend was as great as ours.

Don Miller's Prayer

Look at our house

We had someone come and look at our house today - our first potential buyer. It was weird having a stranger walk through our house with such a critical eye. But she seemed pleased and stayed for a while. She said that she would like to bring her husband by later. Her response to our house doesn't surprise me. Pattie fell in love with it the first time she saw it. It seemed to be perfect for us. I also love this house. It was an answer to prayer and a fulfillment of dreams. God was good to us in giving us this house for the last so many years and I expect His goodness to continue as we seek to follow Him.

We've come full circle.

Today was the last time that we would be meeting on Sunday morning as Axios Church. The irony of it all is that a little over 6 years ago, we began Axios by meeting in this same living room with a handful of people about the size of the group that met today (Jim, Donna, me and Pattie are the only one's left from that original group). At the first of April 2002, our group began to visit different churches on Sunday morning and then met at our house on Sunday nights to pray and look at Scripture and seek guidance concerning starting a church. At the first of May, we felt led to begin Axios Community Church. We began giving and praying because we knew we would need God's power and financial resources to take on this endeavor. God began to immediately move and amazingly and , to me, miraculously provided a warehouse space for us to begin in. We had our first official service on June 2, 2002 with 50 people. There are too many stories to tell of the good things we accomplished, the lives that we touched, and also of how God worked in me to mold and shape my faith, my thinking, my life into the follower I am today. Of course, there are also stories of failures, disappointments, missed opportunities that have also led us to where we are today. But I am not sad, nor full of regret, or ashamed but honored by this opportunity called Axios, grateful for this journey, and excited about the next endeavor, dream, challenge that lies ahead. In 2002, while we met in our home, we looked at the different prayers that Paul prayed for the young churches that he had helped start but then had to leave behind. Through this study, we discovered our name "Axios" in a prayer in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12. It is the Greek word translated "worthy." Today, we looked at one final prayer which is also my prayer for all who have been a part of Axios, for all those who read this blog and all who seek to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. It's found in Ephesians 3:14-21 and says:

"For this reason I kneel before the Father,
from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
I pray that out of his glorious riches
he may strengthen you with power
through his Spirit in your inner being,
so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations,
for ever and ever!
Amen."

Home For Sale!

This evening at approximately 6:00, a "For Sale" sign was placed in our front yard. It is a glorious sight. It is the day we have been working toward. It took me about 20 minutes to get the sign into the parched, dry, hard ground but it is in. Hopefully that will be the hardest part of selling this home.

Why would God need me in Denver?

Church planting can be a mystery. I have seen church plants come into this area only to disappear in a short time and some that have taken root and seem to be fruitful. There are other churches in Cherokee County that started about the same time or shortly after we started Axios in 2002. Several of these churches have pastors that are not from around here. They moved from Iowa, Arizona, Ohio, or from other parts of GA just to plant churches in this area. During the year or so that we struggled at Axios, I would often wonder why God had to bring these guys in from other places when I was right here, ready, willing and able to be God's man in this area. Now that I tell people that I am moving to Denver to start a church, I often get the this reaction, "Why would God need to send you to Denver to plant a church? Doesn't he have someone in Denver that He can use in Denver?" I have some thoughts about this:

1. I am not a Georgia native. Most of my life has been outside the state of Georgia. I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, went to college and seminary in Chattanooga, TN, worked in Geigertown, Pennsylvania and Chicago, Illinois and then moved to GA in 1986. I may have moved here before these other church planters but I still had to move here to get here. The point is that I don't necessarily belong here. I do believe that God divinely led me here and that He has used me here in ways I never could have imagined but He is now divinely moving me again and as His follower, I must simply go. The only difference in this move is that I am not alone. I am moving with my wife and daughter and the ones that I am leaving behind (especially my 2 daughters, 2 sons, 2 sons-in-law, 4 grand kids) are more dear to me than any I have ever bid farewell to. It makes it harder yet I feel more excitement than sadness and more love and encouragement from those closest to me than ever before.
   
2. Just because I have lived in Cherokee County for 22 years doesn't necessarily mean I am the best man to reach Cherokee County. If being a native of an area makes you the best candidate to reach that area, then no one should ever venture out and missionaries should all stay home. Jesus seems to teach the opposite. He said in Matt 13:57, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." Longevity and familiarity do not always translate into converts and disciples.
3. "Going" and "sending" have been a part of the Christian mandate since Jesus' ascension. How else could the Gospel be spread around the world? Why wouldn't God send me? Why isn't He sending you?
4. In Acts 21, the Apostle Paul was staying with Philip who had 4 daughters that prophesied. But it was a prophet from Judea that God used to bring His message to Paul. 4 prophets right in the house where he was staying but God brought the message from somewhere else. Sometimes the outside voice is more readily received than the insider's voice that has been there all the time.
5. Isaiah 28:11 says "Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people." This may be a loose translation of Isa. 28 but it seems that God is saying that the people of Ephraim were not listening to local voices so He was bringing in outsiders as a last resort to bring repentance. Sometimes the foreign voice brings about the results God is looking for better than the local voice that has become common and drowned out. Maybe this is why there is a church planting movement going on right now. Maybe God is doing everything He can to get the attention of people. And if that means moving a guy from NC to Woodstock or a guy in Holly Springs to Denver then so be it. And praise God that He is active and moving and expanding His Kingdom.
   

Something Weird!

I had this song stuck on my mind last week. It came out of nowhere and I sang it on my bus everyday last week.

"Don't pull your love out on me, baby
If you do then I think that maybe
I'll just lay me down and cry for a hundred years
Don't pull your love out on me, honey
Take my heart, my soul, my money
But don't leave me drownin' in my tears"

Then I was driving in the car Friday night and scanning through stations and this song came on the radio. What are the chances of that happening? It was weird.

And then today, I went to the dentist, a new dentist that I had not seen before. He thought I looked familiar and in talking found out that he went to school with my daughter, Jenny. Not only was that weird, it made me feel old. I have been here too long. I'm ready for Denver.

The Inevitable and the Possible: Part 3

Finished this series by looking at the end of Matthew 25 and what is known as the "Judgment of the Nations" or "The Sheep and the Goats." God gets very specific about what He is looking for as evidence of our relationship with Him: feeding, clothing, sheltering, healing, befriending those who cannot feed, clothe, shelter, or heal themselves. I don't believe that this is a complete list but it does give us a picture of what a follower of Jesus Christ should look like. Of course, we could sum it up by asking "Are we living a life of love?" After looking at several passages concerning this judgment, I am convinced that the Bible teaches that it is possible to do these things (acts of compassion) as well as other Christian activities (Matt 7:21-23) and not have a personal relationship with God. But it is impossible to have a relationship with Jesus Christ and not do these things. It's what we do because we belong to Christ. We care, we love, we are moved with compassion to meet the needs of others. I don't feel like I have been honestly taught about this in my younger Christian life. I feel like we have been more concerned about "being good" rather than "doing good." That we have concentrated on not doing something wrong rather than attempting something great for God. "Separation from the world" trumped "compassion for the world." Its time to get our hands dirty, to dig a well, to rescue a child caught in slavery or sex trafficking, to take a meal to a neighbor, to visit a widow, to give more money than you have ever given before. Its time because the inevitable IS going to happen and maybe sooner than you think. It is possible to make a difference today. Its up to you to do it.

Working hard!

• I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel about the house being ready. I'm so tired of working on it and talking about it and blogging about it. But, I must say, the house looks great.
• Rachele came over Saturday and helped all day with the house. That also meant Camille was here and that's always a good thing. We got a lot done between Rachele, Pattie, Joe, Joe Stag and myself.
• Ben came home for the weekend. He said it was weird knowing that their was no bed and really no place for him to come home to. It was a little sad. The good thing is that he loves his new college and believes that the Lord did an amazing thing to get him there. I'm very excited for him.
• Jim and Donna came over last night. Jim helped me with an electrical issue that I am just not comfortable to try myself. He did it easily and then we all went out to eat.
• Friday was a good bus driving day. I received an unsolicited hug from an ES kid and 3 "I love you"'s, 1 "you're awesome" and 1 "you are the sweetest man" from my high schoolers. Its nice to be loved. Giving out blow-pops didn't hurt any.
  

Sunday Recap

Continued my series on "The Inevitable and the Possible" from Matthew 25. Looked at the parable of the talents. According to this parable, to prepare for the inevitable (standing before God and giving an account for your life), you must see yourself as a servant and a steward. When we see that we are servants, we realize that we serve Someone greater than ourselves. It keeps us from becoming self-serving, self-centered, and just plain selfish. The selfish life is not a rewarding life and leads us far away from the possibilities to change the world and live a meaningful life. A steward is someone who has been entrusted with someone else's stuff. God has entrusted us with much (wealth, time, talents, etc.) but make no mistake, it all belongs to Him. It may feel like yours but He could take it all back tomorrow. So make a point to use it all wisely and with His goals in mind. To know that God trusts me with His stuff and that He wants me to use it for His kingdom opens up a world of possibilities. He doesn't micromanage. He leaves it up to us on how to invest and what to invest in but make no mistake, He expects a return. What are you doing that proves that you are ready for the inevitable? There is a whole world out there that needs you. Find a cause to champion and be a hero to someone in need.

Busy Life!

• Did a wedding on Friday night at Lake Arrowhead. It was outside, right on the water and was absolutely beautiful.
  
• Spent Saturday cleaning out the rest of the garage and started on the basement. The basement is filled with sound and a/v equipment from the church. It was a big task. Took most of the day. Joe and Joe knocked a couple of other tasks off our list and Pattie was also hard at work. We got a lot done and our to-do list got much shorter.
• They started our roof late Friday afternoon and worked till they ran out of shingles on Sat. Finally finished on Monday. It looks great.
• Sunday, we installed a dishwasher. I say "we" but I mainly watched my friend, Jim Warrington, do most of the work.
• Monday, Pattie and I took Ben to Emmanuel College in Franklin Springs, GA. It's about 2 hours away. Ben has a basketball scholarship there. Nice but small school. He was able to get an apartment which is as close to the school as most of the dorms. It's good to see him back at school and pursuing his dreams.
• Jim and I were going to take Ben's bed and desk to him tonight since his apartment is unfurnished. But the rain made us put that off until tomorrow.
• Pressure washer guy is coming Thursday and hopefully we will have a sign in the yard by the weekend.
  
• My friend, Dwayne, told me that I should stop working on the house and just put a sign up. He says God wants to sell my house but all my fix-it stuff is holding up progress. I'm starting to believe that.
• And in the midst of all this, the other things of life are happening. I'm still pastoring a small group and driving a bus twice a day and getting my ice coffee. Plus trying to plan for Denver.
  
• You all can put your violins away now, I know that you are busy, too.
  

School Started.

Monday put me back behind the school bus wheel. It wasn't bad. I got chewed out by a mom who said I got to her son's stop 4 minutes too early and preceded to tell me that I was not running the route properly and didn't like the fact that he had to cross the road to get on the bus. I would have had a little sympathy if her son was in kindergarten but he is in high school. She needs to let go of his teenage hand and let him experience life on the other side of the street. Then I have a high school route and mistakenly picked up a middle school girl. Which, after we both figured out she was on the wrong bus, I had to take her back to her house only to discover more of my actual high schoolers at the stops that I had already been to. So I ended up driving the route twice. But other than that, it was a great day.

The Inevitable and the Possible

There are things in this life that are inevitable because God has willed it. There are things that are going to happen that we can't stop no matter what we do. And then there are things in this life that are possible because we will it. We decide to get involved, to engage the culture, to create a new future. We make things happen. For example, it is inevitable that Jesus is returning. God has willed it. But it is possible to be prepared for His return. It's not inevitable but possible. It is inevitable that we will give an account for our lives. God has willed it. But it is possible to be found faithful at that judgment. Its our choice. It is inevitable that God is going to change this old world. God has willed it. But its possible to change the world or at least somebody's world now if we decide to. It is inevitable that life as we know it will end either through death or His return. God has willed it. But it is possible that our life can make a difference and can be well lived. Its our choice.
I do not fear the inevitable. God has given me time to prepare for those events. But I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead of me and my family. When you are prepared for the inevitable, the possibilities are limitless. I can make a difference. I can join with God in creating a new world. I can change the future. Its possible to do the impossible. And the great thing is that you can, too, if you so choose.
We are following a new path full of uncertainty. Success (or what we think success is) is not inevitable. Ease, comfort, wealth are not guaranteed. But the possibilities of God using us in Denver is enough to make the journey worth it. I'm thankful for the opportunity.

Are you enjoying life?

Do you enjoy life or just endure it? If the joy meter was hooked up to your heart, what would the reading be? Don't confuse joy with pleasure, happiness, fun, excitement or any other feeling that is temporary and dependent on the circumstances, activities and situations of life. Joy includes those things but is best measured when things aren't going so well, when things aren't fun, exciting, pleasurable or even happy. Joy is not event-driven but God-given. The Bible says that there is joy in God's presence and since God is always with us (the #1 promise in the Bible), joy is always available. Its evidence that we are rising above rather than staying under the circumstances. It comes from knowing that whatever is happening is temporary and that life and love is not out of reach nor eluding me but has been there all along. Psalm 139 is a beautiful picture of the presence of God and concludes with a very important inventory to see if we really understand His presence in our lives.

1. "Search me, O God, and know my heart" If we have secrets and things that need to remain hidden and are unable to lay ourselves bare before God and afraid that someone may find out what you did or who you really are then joy will always be elusive to you. Is there anything that you are hiding from God or others?
   
2. "Test me and know my anxious thoughts" Fear and worry are things that rob us of joy. It is not a path of trust and peace. Jesus taught in the parable of the sower that it is the cares of this world that choke out the life that God desires for you to have. God says to worry about nothing and pray about everything. Worry has never solved a problem (it usually magnifies a problem) but God has been known to do amazing things for those who trust Him. What is keeping you up at night that should be given to the Lord?
3. "See if there is any offensive way in me" Often we sacrifice joy on the altars of pleasure, expediency and acceptance. Sin may bring temporary pleasure and satisfaction but eventually leads us to a dead end. Is there anything that you should confess?
4. "And lead me in the way everlasting" Sometimes joy stays just out of reach when we are not pursuing the life and work that God has called us to do. We set our sights on the next purchase or promotion or award only to find that it doesn't satisfy. Maybe we hate our job or just feel that there ought to be something more or greater to live for. And you are right, God has a plan and a purpose for you, good works that He has ordained only for you to accomplish. Is there something or someone that you feel you should be helping? Is there a charity that you should be active in? Find out what would bring you joy and just do it.
   

Sunday Recap

• I know it is Thursday but I still want to tell you about Sunday. We are still met at the Dorr's house and will be there again this Sunday. It has worked out fairly well.
  
• Joe led worship and did a great job. I was impressed.
• Pattie and Donna returned from Florida on Sat. morning. I was glad to have her home. She had a great time and her back held up well. Keep praying for her as it is still tender.
• Took Jim and Donna to Longhorn's for Jim's birthday. That was fun as well as good.
• Finished our series on "Behold Your God!" with a look at God's omnipresence. It was a good finish to the series.
• Starting the final series as Pastor of Axios next week. We will be looking at Matt 25 and examining each of the three teachings from this chapter. I do not feel really sad nor do I feel like this is the end. We are on a journey and that journey continues. For the last few years, our journey through life brought us together and now our roads are parting. God has a plan for each of us, a next step, a new place to grow, a chance to follow our dreams. May we all faithfully continue down the straight path of trust in our God and take comfort in the promise that this path will bring the greatest amount of glory to God and the greatest amount of blessing to our own lives.
  

Finally getting to blog.

Sorry for not posting lately but I am slammed trying to get this house on the market. So far I have had the front porch jacked up and secured and painted, the inside trim and doors painted, the deck waterproofed and sealed, the garage cleaned out which was no small task, the roofer delivered materials and a dumpster yesterday and the garage doors are suppose to be installed today. This leaves pressure washing the house and driveway, painting the outside windows, and a little yard work. It's a shame to move after getting the house looking so good. I saw Gary Lamb (pastor of Revolution Church and is moving into our old warehouse space) the other day and tried to sell him my house. I reasoned that since he is wanting to reach Holly Springs, he ought to live in Holly Springs. He didn't bite. He did give me a tour of the warehouse and showed me the changes they were making. I was impressed. Its going to look real good. I have no doubt that they will draw a crowd.

Can I Live to Be 140?

I was sitting at McDonald's yesterday, sipping my medium hazelnut ice coffee, when a thought occurred to me: "I want to live!" Now, not that I had a death wish before this but I suddenly had a new desire to see the next century. So for me to see the year 2100, I would have to live to be 140 years old. Not impossible. Others have lived longer. Methusaleh, Abraham, Moses to name a few. But where did this thought come from? I have a great life, an awesome wife, a wonderful family but when you live in a world where there are hardships, sorrow, difficulties, toils, trials or whatever other word you can think of to describe how we get worn out, the thought of living past 80 can feel wearisome. Then I thought, "I will certainly have to change some things if I am to attain this goal." For one, I would have to stop coming to McDonald's and drinking ice coffee everyday. I must admit that this lessened my desire to live that long but I was still wondering what made me think about this. Then it occurred to me that "change" is the answer. When you are stuck in the bill paying, house keeping, car driving, fast food eating routine that we call life and feel that we have arrived and this is how it is going to be, it is easy to say "Come, Lord, quickly." The last 2 years have been difficult at Axios. Meeting budget was a challenge. Seeing good friends being led away to other churches was discouraging. This is not to say that good things weren't happening also. The last 2 years have also been good. I have read more, learned more, grown more personally than I ever have and there were people getting saved and new families attending. But when it became evident that we had to move out of our warehouse space, I did not know if I had the energy to keep this going. I did not know if changing locations was going to make a difference. I knew that I didn't want to try another 5 years and still be in the same place. I was not unsure of my call just unsure of whether we were in the right place. So I began to pray. And God immediately began to move. And now we are moving to Denver. God is moving us to Denver! He has something more in store for us! It energizes me, excites me, scares me, challenges me but most of all it makes me want to live! It is true that when you stop learning, you stop growing. And when you stop growing, you stop changing, and when you stop changing, you die. What are you reading? Who is challenging you? What new dreams are you dreaming? What new challenge is waiting for you? Moving is not necessary but growing is. God wants to change you and make you cry out "I want to live!" Maybe I won't make it to 140 but I'll die trying.

New Route

I was disappointed to find out at the bus meeting that they had changed my route. My high School route is the same but my elementary is different and that's the one I was really looking forward to doing again. I loved those kids and now I only have 2 months to get to know a whole new set of kids. It will still be fun.

Sunday Recap

• Great to be at church today. I was pumped about the message.
• Spoke on God's omniscience from Romans 11:33 - 12:2. Just reiterating one point. The opening line is "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God." God's wisdom enriches our lives and is better than an endless supply of money. Most people think that most of their problems would be solved if they had more money. I sometimes fall into that trap. We see money as an answer while God consistently exposes it as the problem. Jesus taught things such as how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, that it is the "deceitfulness of riches" that chokes the seed of the Gospel and keeps it from bearing fruit, that it competes for the lordship of your heart, that we should beware of all kinds of greed. The Bible further teaches that the love and desire for money is the "root of all evil." It's not only the problem but also the test. It tests who and what we are putting our faith in. Our lack of money causes us to turn to God while the overflow of reaches opens new challenges of obedience. God says that He is the answer and following Him enriches our lives.
• Pattie went with our friend, Donna, to Daytona for the week. Its their opportunity to spend time together before we move. I don't like being away from my wife but I hope she has fun.
  
• Went to see the Batman movie with Joe, Bob, and Monica this afternoon. It was very good. It was weird watching Heath Ledger knowing that he is dead now but his performance was incredible.
• Hated that Greg Norman couldn't pull out a victory at the British Open.
  
• Have a bus meeting tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to it.
• I'm ready to get on with our move to Colorado. I'm anxious to get started. I hate waiting for everything to get done before we can move. I pray everyday for a fast, generous buyer.
• Its hotter that whooey!
  

Offense or Defense?

I'm still intrigued with the story of Jonathan and Saul in 1 Samuel 13 and 14 and how it relates to Daniel 11:32 (NASB) "the people who know their God will display strength and take action." It is often hard for people to muster the courage to act on their faith. We are obsessed with comfort and safety and do everything possible to prevent the uncomfortable and the risky. Jonathan and Saul are in contrast in this story. The faith of Jonathan is what we should strive for but Saul is the usual picture of how we live. Jonathan had an "offensive mindset" that caused him to initiate action while Saul was more "defensive" and ended up just reacting to the circumstances around him. Jonathan was always taking the battle to the enemy while Saul was always waiting under a tree for God to do something. Jonathan was tackling problems and overcoming obstacles while Saul was talking about problems and using obstacles as an excuse not to move. Most of us don't act because of a lack of resources while Jonathan faithfully used the one sword that he had. Most of us don't act because we think we are alone while Jonathan went with just his armor bearer and God. Most of us like to retreat to the comfort of our homes while Jonathan scaled the cliffs in search of victory. This is one leadership lesson that I believe God has taught me and is teaching me. As a leader, I often waited to long for the sure sign or the clear voice from God only to eventually react to the difficulties I was facing. Instead of initiating action, I allowed my actions to be dictated by circumstances. Fortunately, failure is never final and God is honing me for a new task. May I learn to initiate before I am forced to react. What about you? What does God want you to initiate? What command should you start obeying today? What obstacle is telling you that you can't or shouldn't? God is for you not against you! Go! Do! Act! Live! Conquer! Even dieing is glorious when you die trying the very thing God has called you to do.

Colorado News

Monica sent me these stats about the most obese states. Here are the 10 states with the highest percentage of adult obesity, according to a 2007 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1. Mississippi, 32.0 percent
2. Alabama, 30.3
3. Tennessee, 30.1
4. Louisiana, 29.8
5. West Virginia, 29.5
6. Arkansas, 28.7
7. South Carolina, 28.4
8. Georgia, 28.2
9. Oklahoma, 28.1
10. Texas, 28.1
That good old Southern cooking is killing us but what a way to go! The least obese state in the Union is, you guessed it, Colorado with only 19% obesity rate. I hope I don't tip the scales when we move there and they lose this ranking. I feel slimmer just thinking about moving there.

House Keeping

We have been working hard on getting my house ready to sale. I have been painting the trim in Rayanne's room and the master bedroom. Insurance man came and looked at our roof and agreed there was sufficient hail damage to merit a new roof and front gutters. This is a huge answer to prayer. We are past due for a new roof. They said they could have it scheduled and done in under 2 weeks. Brian came today and jacked up our front porch and put new supports in. I am always impressed with his work. If you need remodeling, decks, fences, etc. you should contact him at Classic Design 678-386-6061. Went through the house with Pattie and decided what to take and what to give away. We are definitely downsizing from a 5 bedroom home to a two bedroom apartment. Much of the stuff that we own was given to us and we would like to return the favor. If you need some things or know someone who has needs, let me know. We would rather give it to specific families rather than to Goodwill. Still have to stain the back deck, paint the front porch, pressure wash the house and driveway, do a little yard work, and figure out what to do with the rest of the church stuff. I've got to get this house on the market before August. I'm tired already. God bless all the people who work in this hot sun.

Bus Driving

Transportation called and offered me a sweet route which would have been a middle school only route. I turned it down since I will only be here a couple of months and I would like to see my kids from last year again. Most of my bus driving friends are getting new routes and Sherrie called me to see what I was doing and to tell me of her new route. She also told me to get on the ball with updating this blog. So I hope this will satisfy you till next time.

I had a great birthday!

• Yesterday was my birthday and I have a new motto: "48 is not too late to do something great for the glory of God!" This new call (not Red Bull) gives me wings. I am thankful that God has chosen me to do something different.
• Jenny and Brian and the kids came over for my birthday lunch. Grilled hamburgers and had freshest, sweetest, tenderest corn on the cob from my dad's garden in TN. It was good and fun.
• Ben and Joe took me to the movies to see Indiana Jones. It was fun and I really enjoyed the movie. I loved the Star Wars line Harrison Ford used in the movie, "I have a bad feeling about this."
• Went over to Rachele and Kris' house after the movie. It was good to see them and Camille. Kris put a new radiator in my Jeep. It's great to have the skilled son-in-laws that I have.
• When I got home Rayanne had made me a chocolate Birthday cake. It was good and they did put all 48 candles on it.
• Joseph had the idea for the birthday dance so you can blame him. Fortunately he edited the 4 minute dance routine down to 1:20. Maybe he will put the unedited version on youtube.
  

Sunday Recap

• Had church at one of our member's home. George Barna predicts that "house churches" will be the new trend in the future. I hope not. Not that it was bad, it just seems smaller than the Gospel allows. The Gospel is too big and too powerful to be contained in one home. It may be a good place to start but it has to break out of those walls.
• They surprised me with a birthday cake.
• The owner's two dogs also attended church.
• Continued our series on "knowing God." Started with the premise that "people who know God do exploits." The more intimate we are with God, the bolder we should be in our faith. Your faith is not dead but alive and active.
  
• There are many qualities of God that we can emulate, such as love, mercy, faithfulness, etc., but at least three that are unique to Him that make Him God and ensure that we are not God. They are His omnipotence (all-powerful), omniscience (all-knowing) and omnipresence (all-present).
• Power without wisdom would be frightening. Wisdom with out power would be useless. Wisdom and power without omnipresence would be limited. But since God has all three, we can trust Him for every situation at any time in any place.
• I spoke from Isaiah 40 on God's omnipotence. His power is proven in creation, controlled by His purposes and wisdom, dwarfs any national power, exposes false gods as the powerless frauds they are, extends over the whole universe and is active in our individual lives.
• Because He is all-powerful I can expect the miraculous. I can expect His strength when I am weak. I can expect to soar like an eagle over every circumstance. I can expect to do great things, risky things, powerful things because it is not my strength but His.
  

My 48th Birthday

Today we celebrated my birthday and I had a great day. It inspired this birthday dance.

Book Update

• Finished Jesus For President by Shane Claiborne recently. Shane is definitely a radical but he does live what he believes. Many things I liked, some I didn't, but it all made me think.
  
• Crazy Love by Francis Chan is absolutely kicking my tail and I'm not done with it yet. A couple of chapters, I had to put the book down and examine my heart and repent before I could continue. Many times I get some ideas on my mind such as how Americanized church and faith has become and then a book is placed in my hand that is right along those lines. This book is one of those.
• Right People, Right Place, Right Plan by Jentzen Franklin. This was given to me by a church member who found out I was thinking about moving. Had some good things in it but very sermony. I didn't feel like it completely lived up to its title. Some very good stories in it though.
• Just started Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll. Mark is pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle and a church planter. He is reaching people far from God. This book is on basic doctrines of Christianity but doesn't read like one. I just started it but I know I'm going to love it. I've known about Mark but haven't read or listened to him much but several people in Denver were into him so I thought I should check into him more. I like what I'm finding.
  
• Reading the Gospel of Luke in my Bible reading. I'm stunned at the teachings of Jesus. They are radical. I'm impressed with His resolve and His deliberateness. He is an awesome God.
• Also reading Exodus. I'm drawn to the dialogue between Moses and God. God spoke to Moses more than anyone else in the Bible. He is heralded as a great leader. I believe that 90% of leadership (if not more) is listening to God.
  

Sunday recap and more

• We had a good Sunday. The crowd was decent and the atmosphere was great.
• Forgot to assign someone to get the key for the Depot. Donna and I had been responsible for the key but we were both out of town for the week. Rayanne and I showed up just a little before 8:00 am to see if we could break in but right when we drove up a maintenance man stopped in to restock the toilet paper on the way to his church. He let us in and agreed to come back and lock it up. This guy had never shown up on any of the weeks previous. It was a God thing and God's way of keeping me out of prison and the headlines.
• There were some people there who were not there last week and heard about the Denver thing through the grapevine. Not everyone is happy about us moving and some are disappointed that we are closing Axios. Of course, no one is real happy about it but they are very encouraging and understand that I must follow the Lord.
• Started a series on knowing God. Started with Daniel 11:32 (NASB) "the people who know their God will display strength and take action." The KJV says it like this "the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits." Knowing God increases courage and gives you the freedom to do things others shy away from. They walk on water, they fight giants, they sleep with lions, they walk away from lucrative businesses such as fishing and tax collecting, they eat manna and drink water from rocks. To them, faith is how they live not just what they believe. We then went to the story of Jonathan in 1 Samuel 13 & 14. I will share more about this later on.
• Ate lunch at Chili's with Jim, Donna, Bob, Monica, and Rayanne.
  
• Pattie had to stay in Chattanooga to care for her mom. This is not an easy situation. Please pray for us.
• Pattie and I are hopefully going to Lakeland, FL for our nephew, Ronnie's, wedding.
  
• Monday and Tuesday mornings, I was able to get back to my morning ice coffee and reading at McDonald's. The people (including workers and other regular customers) were happy to see me again. That may sound sad but I was happy about it.
• I have had 5 local pastors contact me this week, 4 of which want to get together and hear about what I am doing and if they can be of help. 2 of the pastor's I have never met before nor have I heard of them but looking forward to sitting down with them.
• Had a chance to talk with my daughter, Jenny, for a while on Monday. She's a good listener and a great encourager. She has been through a lot and I love to see the health in her eyes and hear it in her voice.
  
• Spent the evening with Rachele and Camille Monday night. It was great. My daughter, Rachele, like Jenny and Rayanne, is awesome. I love talking to her and hearing her opinion on things. She has wisdom like her mother. Sometimes there are no adequate words for Camille. She is a blessed child and a blessing to be around.
• Had lunch today with my son-in-law, Brian. Talked about getting the house ready to sell. He offered his help and his wisdom and expertise is sorely needed.
  
• Traveling should be over after this weekend and I'm glad.
  

In Tennessee

I am writing from a pretty cool little bookstore in Chattanooga. We decided to come and spend the rest of the week at my parents house in Dunlap, TN so that we could be closer to Pattie's mom who is still in the hospital. She may get to come home Saturday so keep praying for her. This also allows Rayanne to continue sone new friendships that she made at camp. My neice, Rebekkah, is also here and I am grateful to get to spend time with her this week. After spending all day at the hospital yesterday, I dropped Pattie off there this morning and Rebekkah, Pam and I are heading to Fall Creek Falls together. It should be fun. I will be glad for our traveling to be done. We have lots to do around the house to get it ready to sell.

The Love of My Life

This past Tuesday, June 24, marked 19 years of marriage to my wonderful wife, Pattie. Sometimes I feel like Mel Gibson at the end of the movie What Women Want as he thanks his co-star, Helen Hunt, for being his hero and rescuing him. We both fill mutually rescued by each other. When you find true love, you realize how short other loves fell. Finding her was a salvation in and of itself and it felt like being "born again' again and entered me into a new life. I've never gotten over it and I know I never will.

Sunday Recap and a BIG announcement

• Our third Sunday in the Depot. A good turn out and a good offering.
  
• Unusual thing happened. I felt that God was telling me not to prepare a sermon for the service. This has never happened and I hope it will not happen very often. He wanted me to be less preachy and just talk to our people about what God was leading me to do. I consciously tried not to think about what I would sy before getting up there. That's a little unnerving.
• I officially made the announcement that me and my family (atleast me, Pattie, Rayanne, and Sadie) would be moving to Colorado to plant a church in that great city. There is much to share about this decision and how I came to the conclusion that this was God's will for our lives but suffice it to say for now that I believe it is the clear leading of God and not a desire of my own. To leave our kids, grandchildren, our aging parents, and brothers and sisters at this time in our lives seems crazy not to mention the many friends, church family, bus driving friendships, etc. that make living here the beautiful life that it has been. But I cannot deny or ignore this call of God on my life.
• We will be meeting in the Depot one more Sunday and we are praying about our next step for this body of believers. We will either stay together until we are ready to move or join with another fellowship of like mind, heart, and soul.
• Greatest blessing about this move - we are not going alone! Bob and Monica, our worship leaders, have also committed to this move. What a blessing it is to partner with this wonderful couple to attempt something new for God.
• Biggest obstacle - the selling of our homes. This will determine when we move. In this economy, this could be a difficult thing. I know God will work it out but please pray about this need.
• We will be having a Church dinner after the service next Sunday at the Depot. Please make plans to attend. This is not our last fling but getting close to it. I would love to see everyone again.
• I have much more to write but this is all I can do right now. Stay tuned.
  

Gulf Shores Camp

• Rayanne and I had a great time at the beach in Gulf Shores, AL with the Ewtonville Baptist Church from Dunlap, TN. First time back to camp in a couple of years and it was a lot of fun. What a great group of young people. It was the first time Rayanne had been to camp as an official camper although she has been with me on several occasions when I was the leader.
• I did not put even one toe into the ocean. I love the ocean but I'm not a huge fan of the beach. The beach was beautiful but very calm. We made bigger waves in the pool. Everyone that went into the ocean except Rayanne was stung by a jelly fish. They were also fishing from the beach and pulling out sharks on a regular basis. Most were just one or two feet long and probably could only nibble on you but I have grown fond of my fingers and toes. One shark was about 4 ft. Needless to say most of stayed out of the water.
• It was hard to preach 8 times to the same crowd in 5 days but I feel like everything went real well. The theme of the camp was The Amazing Race. The Bible often compares the Christian life to a race but it is more about finishing than competing. As a matter of fact, if you finish, you win! At night we talked about the finish line as our destination. We have to keep sight of the goal if we are to run well. Our main verses were Proverbs 3:5,6 where God promises to make our paths straight if we trust in Him. The fastest way to the finish line is the straightest route. I taught that the Straight Path is that path of life that when followed brings the greatest amount of glory to God and the greatest amount of blessing to your own life. In the mornings we spoke on training for the race and disciplines we need to run well.
• I missed Pattie. She went to Chattanooga for the week to be with her Mom who is now in rehab hospital preparing her to go home. Keep praying for her. Rehab is painful and exhausting. The moonlit waters of Gulf Shores lost much of their beauty without my wife at my side.
• Best fun was synchronized cannonballs into the pool by about 6 of us guys on the last evening. This should be an olympic event. We made some great waves.
• It was good to be home Friday night and it was even better when Pattie got home on Saturday night. It was good to see Ben, Joe, Sadie and Oreo.
  
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Sunday recap

• Church at the Depot today. It was good. Bigger crowd than last week. It was good to see everyone.
• Had A&W Root Beers for the dads today.
• Spoke on "Lord, Make Us Holy." "Holy" simply means "set apart." God has called us to act and think differently than those who have no relationship with Jesus Christ. We are told not to "conform" to this world but to be "transformed." Two things are required for this transformation: a new heart which you receive the moment Jesus Christ becomes your Savior and the Lord of your life, and a renewed mind which is a process and takes time. A new heart changes your desires while a renewed mind changes your attitudes. Both together changes your actions. Holiness is evidenced with a right attitude about sin. You see the harm and damage caused by sin. You want to avoid it and be free of it. It also effects your attitudes about others. It causes you to love purely. The difference between holiness and legalism is that legalism condemns others and holiness loves others. And lastly it shows in your attitude toward God's Word. It is His Word that changes the way we think which changes our attitudes which changes our actions that cause us to be "set apart" for God's glory.
• Had a great Father's Day. Rachele and Camille came over Sat. to give me a gift. It was too sweet. Had lunch with Jenny and Brian and the rest of the kids.
  
• The US Open was awesome. Go Celtics! What happened to the Braves. I go away and they go in the tank. There is still time though.
• Probably won't blog until I return home from camp on Friday.
• See ya!
  

Traveling Advisory

• Went to Indianapolis on Friday the 6th for a surprise 82nd birthday party for one of my favorite aunts, Pauline. It was great to see many of my cousins that I haven't seen in awhile. Got to spend some time with my little sister, Nancy, and her girls, Rebbekah and Katie. My cousin, Anne, who is always an encouragement to me and often responds to my blog, was there with her new child, Aaron, from China. He was awesome!
• Flew to Denver, Colorado on Monday morning with Rayanne. It was her first flight and it was fun to be with her. This was my first trip West to the Rockies. Denver was surprisingly flat with snow-capped mountains to the west.
  
• Pattie was unable to fly with us and returned to Chattanooga with my sister, Pam, on Sunday for her Mother's surgery on Monday. The surgery went well and Pattie flew out from Atlanta on Tuesday night and joined Rayanne and me.
• Met a lot of great people and thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful city. The climate was unbelievable. Clean air, blue skies, steady breeze, mountain backdrop, and no humidity. What's not to like. I might be singing another tune if it was January. No humidity is something I have never experienced. It hit 90 for a couple of days and I barely broke a sweat.
• There were plenty of churches but not nearly as saturated as Atlanta and the South. Two different men told me that they felt Denver was largely unchurched. It's a wide open field for a church planter.
• Flew back to Atlanta on Friday night. Atlanta has its own beauty and Cherokee County looked greener than I ever remembered. It was good to be home.
• Leaving tomorrow for Gulf Shores, AL. I will be speaking at a youth camp. Pray for me. My voice is weak from either allergies or a cold and I have to speak 8 times in 5 days. I'm very excited about this opportunity. Rayanne is going with me. Pattie is going to Chattanooga this week to be with her mother. Keep praying for her.
  

Last Sunday Recap 6-8

I was in Indianapolis for our first service in the depot. Everyone loved the building and we had a decent crowd for most of our regulars being gone. My son, Ben, led the worship but then we had technical problems with the sermon video. After several failed attempts to play the sermon, my friend, Jim Warrington, got up and shared a testimony and some things that God had laid on his heart. It was well received.
Meanwhile in Indianapolis, I attended the Westview Baptist Church with my Aunt Pauline. This is the first church that I remember attending as a child. It looked the same. My biggest memory of that church is my mom taking me out of the service for unruly behavior and giving me a whooping in the Ladies bathroom. On this day I behaved and enjoyed the message about casting our cares on the Lord. Mostly older members with a few children and I wonder what it would take to bring life back into this poor community inside the city limits. May the Lord guide me to the place where my light can shine the brightest.

Church in the Depot

We are having our first service in the Depot in downtown Holly Springs and I am down right excited about it and I'm not even going to be there. I hate that I am going to be gone but the circumstances of life and timing that can't be avoided is putting me in Indianapolis on our first official Sunday out of the warehouse. We will be showing a video of one of my favorite preachers and pastors, Perry Noble, from Newspring Church in Anderson, SC. I love his evangelistic spirit and his passionate love for Jesus. I know that you will be encouraged by his message.

Leaving tomorrow!

We are going to visit Pattie's mother tomorrow. She is having colon cancer surgery on Monday and we want to spend the day with her before we head up to Indianapolis for the weekend. Please keep her in your prayers.
I was raised in Indianapolis and I am looking forward to seeing some old friends and family that I haven't seen in a while. I only have good memories of Indiana and very thankful for how are where I was raised. My youngest sister, Nancy, still lives there and it will be good to see her and her family.

My e-mail is down

Moving out of the warehouse and ending our Windstream DSL service there has knocked out my e-mail. Until this gets settled you can use rbrim@alltel.net.

This could help

If you want to read this the way it was intended, drop down about 6 posts to "Let me start at last Thursday." But it is okay to read it backwards.

It finally ended Monday

• It was an emotionally and physically draining week. Not only were we dealing with the ending of this stage of Axios, Church in the Warehouse and the beginning of whatever is next, and the ending of Joe's childhood and entrance into the adult world, but we are also dealing with the health issues of Pattie's mother. Keep praying for her.
• Jim, Donna, Ben and I finished the last of the warehouse move. Took a load to the dump, took 2 loads to our storage unit, and the rest went to my home or Jim's. Jim and Donna Warrington are 2 of the most generous and self-giving people I know. I would be lost without them.
• Had a wonderful steak lunch at Sixes Elementary School. The administrative staff at Sixes grilled steaks, chicken, onions, and baked potatoes for all the staff and bus drivers. It was good to see the Sixes drivers one more time. It was fun and delicious.
  
• Chilled the rest of the day. Tried to find a cool space and just relax. Pattie was at work and Rayanne was at 6 Flags so it was just me. I needed that.
  

Sunday was Raw

• We decided to have one more service in the warehouse. We threw down the stage and set up a few chairs. There was no sound system, no power point, no video, no bulletin, no children's ministry, not even a nursery. It was just us and God.
• Joe led s in three songs and did a great job. We had donuts and cold drinks for everyone to enjoy.
• Did I mention that we had a major downpour and everyone was soaked getting in to the service?
• My message was called "The Rantings of a Mad Pastor." Mad, not as in angry, but I was wondering if I am insane to think that church can be different. I am tired of the Americanized church. I think that we have confused the "American Dream" with the "Kingdom of God." I don't believe that the goal of a relationship with God is to make our life comfortable and extravagant. Could we get back to when the church had everything common? Could church be a place where your sorrow is my sorrow, your joy is my joy, your debt is my debt, and your prosperity is my prosperity? But churches have become little kingdoms in themselves. The entrepeneural spirit of America has made church planters more individualized and domain centered. I have been around some "big vision" people that have become small in my eyes. God's mission is greater than anyone's vision. Many can't see beyond the borders of their individual kingdoms. Sometimes we forget that we are brothers. My family drove 2 hours to help but I have brothers and family 10 minutes away who never thought to lend a hand. We say that we are doing church to reach the unchurched but how can we say that we love God and let our brother go in need. I know that I am speaking from the needy side of his equation. I was and am the one in need. I am not trying to fault my Christian brothers. Would I be writing this if everything was going well and my needs were met and I was comfortable? Would I come to help bear the burdens of my brothers if the roles were reversed? I do not know but I think this is what God is teaching me. I spoke from 1 Peter 2. In this passage, Peter describes the church as "living stones," "a chosen tribe," "a royal priesthood," "a holy nation," "a peculiar people." Am I insane to think that church could be this? If it is to be, it will start with what Peter started with. His first call was for us to become like "newborn babes." We must rid ourselves of malice, hypocrisy, greed, and any other vice that would keep us from being "peculiar" or insane. We must nurse on the Word of God rather than on the latest book or strategy. We must return to the Word where we first tasted and knew that God was good. God is teaching me these things and maybe when the roles are reversed, I will use my resources to not just expand my own personal kingdom but will help my brother fulfill his vision also. Maybe I am insane.
  

Saturday was exhausting but good

In the midst of all the celebration and ending of the school year, we were busy at the church moving out of the warehouse. We started early, but were a little short on help because Joe and his friends who had been helping, were now busy with parties, family and friends. It left me, Donna Warrington and Steve and Paula McMullen to do the work. But thats where my family comes in. My sister called me early to verify the time of Joe's graduation party which was to be at 4:00. She asked if there was anything they could do and I said how about bringing my three strong nephews down early and help me. They arrived at lunchtime and gave us 2-3 hours of productive work. My sisters also pitched in and were a great encouragement to me. In the mean time, my dad had Ben and Rayanne cleaning up our yard and house getting it ready for the party. What a blessing to have family that loves and cares and willing to work and sacrifice for each other. It's the same way a church ought to operate. We quit around 3:30 to get ready for the 4:00 party and we made it. The rest of family and friends showed up and it was a great party. Pattie did a great job with food and hospitality. That evening, we were wiped out but very satisfied with the day.

Then came Friday night

After turning in my bus, I rushed home to get ready for Joe's graduation. It was a wonderful night. It was much more emotional than I expected. I openly let the tears flow as he walked across the stage. I have great children. I love them all so very much. Joe is an out-going, multi-talented, well-liked young man. I am very proud of him. I am thankful that he has completed this stage of his life. I am thankful for the way God has shaped his life thus far. And I will pray that God will make his paths straight and that he will allow God to guide him and lead him down the path that brings the most glory to God and the greatest amount of blessing to him.

Then comes Friday

Friday was the last day of school and, of course, the last day to drive the bus. I felt like a school kid again as we counted down the last few days of the year and now I have the Summer off. I haven't been able to say that I have the Summer off in 30 years. I have thoroughly enjoyed bus driving or at least I love the people with whom I get the privilege to drive and I love the students that ride with me. I received a thank you note from a High School Senior where he called me "the bus driver extarordinaire." I also received a homemade card from an elementary student named Madison that said "Thank you for driving us to school and back home safely everyday. Riding the bus was actually exciting this year. I will miss you and hope you have a great Summer." She hugged me and told me that she loved me. I will miss these children or at least most of them. But I will miss the other bus drivers most of all. We all met for lunch and it got rowdy and loud as usual. We laughed and shared one more afternoon together. I looked and saw people that were no longer co-workers but friends. Some have gone through difficult times this year. Many have pulled me aside and asked for prayer for a variety of concerns. Some, I have asked to pray for me. They have impacted my life and I will remember this year for a long time.

Let me start at last Thursday

The craziness of the last two weeks has taken its toll on my blogging. There are some times when there are not enough minutes in the day to get everything done. It has been that kind of a week. But let me start with Thursday to catch you up to speed. Thursday was the 2 hour season finale of Lost and it didn't disappoint. We had our last Lost party of the season and possibly the last time this group will get together to watch how the story ends. Our party consists of me and Pattie, Joe Brim, Joe Stag, Kayla and Blake. We always have our IBC Black Cherry sodas and another choice of beverage such as Yoohoos or Jones Soda and a variety of snacks. During commercials, we try to guess what happens next or remind each other of past episodes that help make sense of the current episode or simply get caught up on the activities of the day. It has been something that I look forward to every week. But the 4 high school Seniors have all graduated now and who knows where we all will be when the new season starts. It will be sad to find out how Locke died or where the island was moved to or how and why the Oceanic 6 get back to the island and if Jin is really dead without the company of these fine young people. It has been a treasured time and I will miss it more than the show itself.

Weekend Update

• Pattie has been at her Mom's since Thursday. She should be home tomorrow. I miss her terribly.
• Spent Sat and Sun at the church packing it up. We got a lot done but their is still much to do. We have 6 years of stuff that we didn't mind having while we were in the warehouse but alot of it we don't want to store. Come by the church on Tuesday night from 6-8 and see if you would like anything.
• Went to the Pointe Church that meets at Hasty Elementary School. Very good service. I was impressed. The pastor, Brian Jones, did a great job and their music and visuals were excellent.
  
• After working at the church, Rayanne and I spent the rest of the day together swim suit shopping. Went to lots of stores including the mall and found one at our last stop.
• Jeep is not running. A friend is coming to look at it in the morning. Pray that we can fix it.
• Did I tell you that I miss Pattie?
  

Thursday at Caribou Coffee

• Thursday nights have been fun for me the past few weeks. I take Rayanne to youth group on Thurs nights and I go to Caribou Coffee and blog, read, etc until it is over at 9:00. Joe lets me use his laptop which makes me feel young and hip and it is a Mac so I feel even younger and more hip. Although just using the word "hip" probably takes me down a notch on the cool scale. I'm not a big coffee house guy. I honestly prefer McDonald's ice coffee. It's not as strong and its cheaper. But Caribou Coffee offers an orange tea which I am growing very fond of.
• Pattie went to Chattanooga with her sister while her mother goes in the hospital over night for some tests. Please pray for her mother. Her blood count keeps going down and they don't know why. Pray for Pattie also. It will be a long night in the hospital. It's never a good place to get rest.
• It's weird not to have to get a sermon together for Sunday. But I have a busy summer to prepare for.
• Several pastors in the area have been reaching out to me hearing that we were having to move out of the warehouse. Ross Wiseman from Metro Church, Brian Jones from The Point Church, Philip Young from Holly Springs baptist. These are great guys and all say they want to help in any way they can and I appreciate the gestures and their prayers.
  
• I had a lengthy talk with Gary Lamb of Revolution Church on Tuesday. It was good to speak to him. I am always challenged by him. And even though he is taking over our warehouse, it was good to tell him what I felt God was leading me to do and get his input. Gary can come across a little hard with his straight forward, honest approach but he always has some wisdom that is worth hearing and causes you to examine the way you are thinking and the way you are doing things. Its a good thing.
• June is going to be a busy month. Not only are we moving and trying new things but I will also be traveling to Indianapolis, Denver, and Gulf Shores, AL. I will be speaking at a camp in Gulf Shores for Ewtonville Baptist in Dunlap, TN. 8 messages in 5 days. Pray for me and the teens that will be there. In July we are planning a trip to Lakeland, FL for our nephew's wedding. We have never traveled this much.
• No Lost Party tonight. The two-hour season finale is next thursday. Can't wait.
• Watched the whole season of American Idol but missed the finale this week. I called David Cook as the winner from the beginning.
  

Demo Man

Spent the evening disassembling our church. Taking our Axios Kids Bible Adventure Land sign down was the hardest. It was a little sad but I will shed no tears. It is what it is - a building. We will continue to reach out to this area in a new way and as long as the Lord allows.

Survived the storm

We survived the storm that came in at supper time last night with very little damage. The front gutter is hanging by a thread and the lawn was strewn with leaves and hail but our house survived the tornado type weather. Two doors down, a tree went through the roof and into the bedroom of our neighbors. Across the street, a large tree was completely uprooted but fell harmlessly beside the house. Around the corner, another tree fell on a parked car. The power was out all night and didn't come on until 7:45 this morning. It was cool to see the neighbors respond to other neighbors who needed help clearing trees and debris. Many buses could not reach their kids this morning because of downed trees and power lines. I keep praying for others in the county who have suffered from this storm.

Weekend Update

• It was our last service in the warehouse. No tears. The only regret was not recognizing earlier that it was time to move. Good crowd. Good vibe. Sense of anticipation at what comes next. I'm proud of our people. They are very encouraging to me and I can see how God has been working in their lives.
• Took up the stage and chairs immediately after the service. It was weird.
  
• Followed up last week's sermon "What would it take for God to get you to move?" with "What would it take for God to get you to something different?" Often it comes back to our worship and how we see God and how we respond to Him. If you can't see God doing something different then you probably won't change either. If you see God as static then you will probably stay static. God is unchanging in His character which makes Him trustworthy and viable to follow but He is also unpredictable and uncontained and far above our thoughts and ways. The unchanging God is continually calling us to change.
  
• We looked at three people responding to God on the move in 2 Samuel 6. The Ark of the Covenant (you know, "The Raiders of the Lost Ark" ark) was being moved to Jerusalem. Uzzah (a priest), David (the king) and Michal (David's wife) all responded differently.
• Uzzahs are those who try to keep God in a box. The ox stumbled, the ark began to fall and Uzzah tried to stop it. They wouldn't want God to spill out. No telling what would happen (watch Raiders of the Lost Ark). It's much safer for God to stay in the box. We want a God that we can control not One that is unleashed in this world. Uzzah had been in charge of the ark for so long (20 years) that it had become common to him. He was a priest and had become religious instead of a true worshiper. He suffered from the disease of familiarity that plagues much of Christianity today. We think we have God figured out. Uzzah died on this day but thinking it was his job to take care of God had slowly sucked the life out of him for years. The problem with being an Uzzah is that it seems the right thing to do but God is not so easily tamed and can take care of Himself very well.
• Davids are those who are moving with God. David, the king, knew who the real King was. He knew that God was not common but that he was. So he took his place as a worshiper among the servant girls and the common people. He was not self-aware but God-focused. He danced and disrobed, oblivious to his surroundings because "it was before the Lord." He sacrificed and gave generously which is always the sign of true worshipers. He was criticized but he didn't care. His response to his critics was "You haven't seen anything yet!"
  
• Michals are those who observe instead of participate, judge instead of love. They are uninvolved yet very opinionated. They never truly worship and become barren in their spirit. The critical, bitter, jealous heart is not fertile ground for the work of God.
• Ended by saying that I felt God was leading us to do something different this summer. We are going to do Saturday night church instead of Sunday morning. Many churches are doing this across the nation but no one is doing it in our area. If you are an Uzzah, you will object by thinking that Sunday morning is the box that God dwells in. Michals will tell us every reason why it won't work and stand on the sideline to watch us fail. But if you're a David, the thrill of God moving makes you want to dance, oblivious to everything except God. We're going to let God spill out on Saturday nights.
  

Rayanne's big night

Rayanne has a formal literary presentation tonight. Each student is giving a speech or reciting a poem or, like Rayanne, singing a song. She is singing and Joe is playing. I am looking forward to it.

Death has no sting!

Had breakfast at IHOP with my sister Penny and her husband David. They spoke last night at Shiloh Hills Baptist Church in Kennesaw and then spent the night at our house. David's mother just went to be with the Lord and the funeral is Sat. in Ringold, GA. David and Penny are missionaries in Ukraine and are home until mid June for their son's college graduation. I am thankful that they were here for this difficult time too. Even though we sorrow, death has no sting and the grave has no victory for those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. Sorrow turns to joy when you realize that this is a temporary separation and life is just beginning for her - a healthy, new, energized life! It is the great hope of all who believe.

Playing the Lottery

One of my friends from the Bus Shop bought me a Lottery ticket for this past Tuesday. It was a $5 5 number ticket. She wrote me a very nice note and said that she hoped this ticket was a winner and that God would give me the money to build the kind of church that God and I had dreamed of. Having never played the Lottery, I had her explain how it works. I know that most of you don't need lessons in playing the lottery but for those who do, this is the deal. I had 5 series of 6 numbers per series. You don't have to match all of them to win something. Even if you only match 2 numbers you can win a few bucks but the more you match the more you win. I was dead tired Tuesday night and ready to hit the sack at 10:00 but no way I was going to sleep until I saw the numbers drop at 11:00. The sincerity of my friend and and the spirit of her gift almost had me believing that God was going to let me cash in. The six lottery balls dropped and out of the 30 numbers on my ticket, I matched 1. I have to say it was disappointing but for only $5 I can try again tomorrow.

Weekend Update

We had a crazy, insane weekend. Mother's day, Joe's prom, Joe's birthday, Jacob's birthday (my grandson), and everything was awesome.

• Started Friday morning when Camille came over for the day as usual only this time she was going to stay the night too. We had a great time with her at Target where she refuses to ride and only wants to push the buggy. Then she likes to reorganize all the merchandise. She's awesome. Had to let her sleep with Pattie which meant I went to the couch.
• Rayanne went to Six Flags on Friday and conquered her fear of roller coasters.
• Went to my grandson Matthew's baseball game on Saturday. He is an all-star and it is fun to watch him play.
• To Jacob's birthday party at Jenny's. What a blessing he was to me as he showed genuine appreciation as a 9 yr. old for the generous gifts he received.
• Then to meet Joe and his prom dates and the rest of the entourage of friends for pictures. Everyone was handsome and beautiful.
• Huge, noisy storm Saturday night and Sunday morning which kept me up and I went back to the couch for the second night in a row.
• Sunday was a great service. Good crowd and God really used the message. We gave all mothers sunflowers with Lindt Chocolates tied to the stem. Everyone seemed to like it.
• The message was not about mothers but addressing our move in the next few weeks. I called it "Transitions" and talked about how and why God moves us. I asked an important question that we should all answer: What does it take or what would it take for God to move you? We all want sure signs and burning bushes but even with these things it is easy to doubt what God wants you to do. I used the story of Abraham in Gen. 12 where God called him to move to a land that He would show him. Sometimes God wants us to move so we can leave some things behind. Sometimes it is necessary to move our physical location. So God told Abraham to leave his country. He also told him to leave his people. Sometimes people keep us from reaching our potential in Christ. We have to break free from their influence. And God told him to leave his father's house and the security that he had built up. Sometimes we have to leave our comfort and security and learn to trust God all over again and that doesn't happen unless He moves us. But He also told him there are things to embrace. One thing is to embrace risk and uncertainty. God only told him to move, He didn't tell him where right away. We don't get the comfort of seeing the whole picture or reading the last chapter to find out what happens. We only get the next step and have to trust God for the next one. But He gives us promises to embrace also. God is promising to do great things in us and through us if we will trust Him and obediently follow Him. I don't know the outcome of our move but I do know that God has orchestrated it and that gives me courage and excitement to see what happens next.
• Took Pattie shopping for Mother's Day.
  
• Joe's 18th birthday party was late Sunday afternoon. It was fun and all the family and lots of friends were there.
  

Backwards or forwards

We only have 2 Sundays left in the Warehouse. It is sad to me but also exciting. God is moving us. I tried to stay but God has other plans. I don't know what the full plan is yet but it's got to be good. Stacey said something last night that has stuck with me. She was sharing about some difficulties that seemed bad but God turned for good. She talked about a move they had to make and she said, "It felt like a move backwards but with God, it was a move forward." At first, I also felt moving to the American Legion building was a step backwards but now I am beginning to see that it is a move forward. God is moving us and I don't know exactly where we will end up but we're never going to be the same and that's a good thing.

Lost Party

Lost party tonight! Its one of my favorite times of the week. Not only do I get to watch a great show but I get a Black Cherry IBC Soda and hang out with some young people that have become real friends.

First Wednesday

We started something this month called "First Wednesday." The first Wednesday of every month is being set aside for prayer, communion and testimony. Our first meeting was last night and it was very special, intimate, and encouraging. We laid hands on one young boy for healing, shared Communion, spent time with the Lord, and heard of things that God was doing in people's lives. I hope more people will take advantage of this time.

Elephant #5: Judgmentalism

Judgmentalism is the feeling of being condemned based on opinion. This is the second biggest complaint about current Christianity just behind anti-homosexual and just ahead of hypocrisy. We are consistently warned against becoming judgmental by Jesus Himself and by the other NT writers because it is easy for us to do. We believe that we are right, that God is on our side and we have the verses to prove it. But rarely has one turned to God because we won an argument or pointed out their sin. It usually has the opposite effect - they run from you, God and the Church. Jesus called people who judge hypocrites and it is the only sin that He consistently pointed out. Many Christians feel the need to say something about behavior they disapprove of but Jesus did not take this approach. When tempted to judge you should ask the three questions that Jesus brought up when discussing this issue in Matthew 7. 1) Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye? Why do you really care about the issue that you are upset about? What are you really feeling toward this person? 2) Why are you blind to the plank that is in your own eye? Jesus says that this attitude should cause you to look at your own life and heart. He is saying that the plank in your eye is causing more damage than the speck in theirs. I believe the planks are the
elephants that we have been uncovering in this series. These things are not bringing people to Christ but repelling them. 3) How can you help your brother? The answer is that you can't if you ignore the planks. He is not saying that we shouldn't help but that we should do it with a clean heart, the right attitude and pure motives.

Vassia's last performance

Joe's band performed for the last time together at an event at Woodstock Park. They did a great job and it was a little emotional for the guys. They have spent the last 2 years playing together and to see it come to an end with graduation coming soon was a little sad. The venue was great. Woodstock has a nice downtown area and a great little park for community events. The event promoted Tom's Shoes which Joe has supported for quite a while now. I remember when Joe came home the first time telling us about this ministry that helps people who can't afford shoes. He came home shoeless having given his shoes to help others. He has since always purchased Tom's. All of our family was there which is always nice. It's hilarious to see my granddaughter, Camille, dance to the music. I also got to talk to Ross Wiseman from Embassy Metro Church who helped sponsor the event. It's always encouraging to talk to others who know the highs and lows of church planting.

Weekend update

• Our Spring Giveaway was a great success. Thanks to all the people who donated items and helped serve the people who came to receive this blessing. One lady's story was particularly encouraging and was awesome to see God use us and our stuff in her life. A single mom who was living in a recently leased apartment with no furniture except a bed for her daughter. And even though she had nothing, discouragement was making her reluctant to come, feeling that she probably wouldn't find what she needed, and fueling reasons not to come such as bothering her sister to bring her and no way of getting the stuff home if she did find something. Through the encouragement of her sister she decided to come. By faith, she made a list of things that she needed to make sure she wouldn't take more than she needed and was there before 9:00 (we said from 9-11 but they were lining up at 8:30 at the church.) God gave her everything on the list and Jim and Jeff loaded it on a trailer and delivered it to her house. She testified of God's faithfulness to meet her needs and to always bringing a blessing when she needed it most. It was a privilege to meet her. There were many others that we were able to help.
• Our people were amazing. The time, energy and love that they put into this outreach was very encouraging to me.
• Had a great Sunday. First and second time visitors were in the service. That's always good.
• Preached the last sermon in the Elephant series. Dealt with judgmentalism. It was good but I am glad to be done with this series. It has been a great series and have had a great response from the listeners and it has also been a necessary series if we are really serious about reaching the world around us and the generation to come but it was a difficult series to put together and required a lot of transparency on my part. I don't know if everyone could handle too much more transparency.
• Had an interesting lunch with Bob and Monica. Could God be up to something? Of course He is, I just hope it includes me.
  
• I was excited about the Hawks taking Boston to Game 7 but they looked like the 8 seed that they were billed as on Sunday. It does give us promise for next year.
• I wish the Braves could play the Reds every day. They spanked them all weekend.
  

Lost Party

Watched Lost again last night with all the usual company. Enjoyed pizza and Black Cherry Soda and even some Yoo-Hoos. We love this show and each week something is revealed or done that makes us say "no way!" Knowing that this show is going to come to a conclusion and that they plan on answering all the mysteries in the next 1 or 2 seasons keeps me going. Otherwise they could just keep stringing us along with endless riddles and tiresome story lines. I just hope that the end is not too weird and out there.

Elephant 3: Antihomosexual

The #1 negative opinion associated with the church and Christians is antihomosexual. I spoke on this 2 weeks ago. The perception is that we not only hate the sin but we hate the sinner too. I know that we say the opposite but as always, actions speak louder than words. It seems that being gay is the one thing that we want people to denounce and give up before they come to Christ. We have had 2 gay couples attend our church. One of them came for 2 or 3 weeks and then decided that this was not for them. The other couple received Christ and God changed their lives. One of the ladies is now married and is raising a family. The other young lady followed the Lord in baptism and then shortly after that, moved away. I don't know how she is living her life now but I do know that she is living it with Christ. I also feel that all four of these people felt love and acceptance from our church instead of fear and judgment. This allowed time for God to do His perfect work. I think we need to change four things if we are to change the way we are perceived in this area. 1) Compassion must replace fear. If "perfect love casts out fear" as it says in 1 John, then I must assume that fear casts out love. We fear their "agenda", we fear their "disease", we fear their influence, we fear their presence and because we fear, we cannot reach out in love. Love is the most powerful force in the universe and as the bumper sticker on Joe's car says, "Love Wins." 2) Embrace should replace stance. We seem to have a need to make sure that they know that we think it is wrong. Our job is not to convince them that their wrong or to change their minds but to represent a loving Christ and an irresistible Gospel. 3) This leads me to think that we need to trade winning arguments for winning hearts. Enough said. 4) We must not associate political victories with spiritual victories. This is a hard one and some of you won't agree with this but the more we want to legislate homosexuality the further we push the gay community from the Gospel. God did not call us to fight political battles but to fight for the hearts of men and women. Jesus asked what have we profited if we gain the whole world yet lose our own souls. Would He also say what have we profited if we win our political battles yet lose the souls of men? I will talk more about this on the next elephant.

The Spring Giveaway

This Saturday we are having a Spring Giveaway. Instead of doing our individual Spring cleanings and then having yard sales to get rid of our excess stuff, we decided to combine our stuff and give it away to those who have little or nothing. We are working with the Cherokee Women's Violence Center. Many of these ladies leave their destructive environments behind and seek shelter in these apartments but have nothing to call their own. We have invited them to come and find things to help them in their transitions. DFACS also is putting fliers into the hands of those who are the neediest in our county. We have been collecting a good assortment of furniture and household items and hope we can be a blessing to those who have little or nothing. If you have items that you would like to give, drop them off at the Warehouse on Friday night after 5:30 or Saturday morning. If you know of families that are in need, bring them by the Warehouse on Saturday from 9:00 to 1:00.

Looking for a place

I met with a man yesterday about renting his facility and it looks like it may work out. The building will hold 270, is right on the main drag in Holly Springs, and will save us a ton of cash. It is an older building and not the most attractive one but they continue to work on it and are trying to improve it all the time. Keep praying about all this.

Weekend Update

Saturday night, Pattie and her sister planned to take their Mother to see Gaither and Friends at the Gwinnett Center. Pattie's Mom loves the Gaither Vocal Band and all their friends but at the last minute she could not attend because of health concerns. So it ended up just Pattie and I going since the tickets were already purchased. Now I've always liked the Vocal Band but this is not the style of music that really excites me at this point in my life. They definitely play to the older crowd. The Gwinnett Center was packed and I think we were the youngest ones there (not really but you can get the picture). We had great floor seats and there were many songs that I thoroughly enjoyed and a blind piano player that was worth the price of the tickets. He was awesome. It started at 6:00 and we left at 9:00 during the intermission which they called half-time. I was stunned at the length of this concert. As far as I know they are still singing and partying right now.

We had a good Sunday and I dealt with an elephant called politics. This sounds dry but it was actually very missional and challenged us to stay focused on God's purposes rather than political issues.

Bus Rodeo

Every year, the Transportation Department puts on a special day for the drivers that includes a road course and a look at the new buses that will be in the fleet next year. The new buses looked great and what ever we don't like about them will be overlooked because they are air-conditioned. It was fun hanging out for the morning and it ended at lunch with some very tasty grilled pork chops with BBQ sauce, delicious cole slaw, and baked beans. There was also a dessert competition among the drivers which meant a plateful of "I shouldn't eat all this but I am going to anyways" goodness. And to top it all off, they had karaoke. I sang Toby Keith's "How Do You Like Me Now" and "I Can Only Imagine" with another driver, Deena. It was a fun time.

It's a great Thursday night. I am sitting in Caribou Coffee sipping a delicious orange iced tea and blogging away on my son's macbook. It's been a good day. Had a great supper with Ben, Joe and Rayanne all joining Pattie and I for a change. It was a breakfast night and I am all into that. Lost comes back on tonight and the gang is getting back together for IBC Black Cherries and Strawberry Kiwi Jones Sodas and popcorn as we watch the show. I can't wait.

We're Moving!

I announced to the church three weeks ago that we would be moving out of the warehouse. I am just now ready to tell the rest of the world. We have been almost 4 years in this warehouse but now it is time to move on. We have often wondered if our location has prevented us from growing and I guess we will soon find out. I believe that we have found a space to move to for the Summer and it is right on the main drag in Holly Springs. It's not the greatest looking building but it does fit our budget, gives us room to grow and is in a prominent location. We will continue to look for a more permanent solution but at least we won't be homeless. I have no doubt that God is moving us. He pulled the plug on this. My responsibility is to follow. Moving can be both exciting and scary. It's because it is about change. We don't know what will happen. We have been comfortable in our spot and now God is moving us off our spot. Things will be different, opportunities will change, new doors will open and I for one am ready for the change.