He Was Fasting...We Were Trusting!

Years of ministry has allowed me to meet and mentor scores of people. Sometimes I may not communicate with folks for years. Then, boom, there they are. Its one of those things I really love about ministry....the relationships!

The day we looked at the property for our church I had one of those in-passing conversations with Dewayne, a church elder. We were talking how things seemed to be coming together, and I mentioned a couple local worship leaders I might call. Because we have been doing video worship for nearly a year. I thought how nice it would be to have live worship again...

But, in that short conversation we mutually agreed that God would provide the right worship leader at the right time. Our church has always found ourselves in a worship leader tail-spin. Which caused us to react with desperate measures. This time we simply said God will provide.

The next day I was checking my phones and noticed a "423" number that I did not recognize. I figured another person wanting me to spill my guts about Word of Life, but I kinda thougt it was my buddy Dave. So, I called! It was a young man that I have known for years. I knew him from my COTH days, and he told me he had been praying and fasting. Seeking direction for his life. Out of the blue when he asked God what to do...the Lord spoke to his heart about coming to Enterprise to help us anyway we needed.

What's wild is we really need some help with cleaning up the property and in the music arena. And, by the way, he is a good worship leader! So he and I talked...I got with my leadership guys...and boom...God has provided...some help and a potential worship leader for our church. First, he is going to come and spend a coupole weeks with us. Then, we will talk and look at what the future looks like.

I am really excited about what God is doing...it blows my mind!

God Can Bring Glory To Himself!

Just a quick testimony of God's amazing grace. God does not have to use us, but by His amazing grace He chooses to use people to reveal His glory. The truth is that God can bring glory to Himself! We just get to enjoy seeing Him work.

Monday night (right at the conclusion of 24) there was a knock on my front door. It was a little late for someone to just show up except for my wife's friend Tammy (she stops by at 2am all coked up on coffee). Usually, the later the knock on my door or the later the phone call usually means the more urgent the need.

This was a gentleman that I have been a friend to in the auctions where I buy and sell. He was kinda over taken by the emotion of just having a baby. Well, he didn't his girlfriend did, but he was the father. I can say I was a little surprised to see him...considering he lives about 30 miles away.

He and Marlane's baby had been born early...she was at least a month early! After she was born there was concern because she was losing weight and could not hold any formula at all. Whatever they fed her was immediately vomitted. There was concern on behalf of the doctor as the baby was steadily losing weight. You can imagine at 4 pounds losing 4 ounces at a time was pretty concerning.

He flew in the door of my house and said I told her I hope you was awake because I am going to get him to pray. He wondered if I would take the time to pray for them. I think he was blown away when I told him I would be right behind him at the hospital. I think he had hoped we could just pray at the house, but sometimes that extra mile is what draws people to Christ. I probably could have said yes I will pray and he would have thanked me and left.

Once I met them at the hospital...it was like holding a nerf football..that was the smallest baby I have personally every seen and that includs dozens of hospital visits for new borns. Marlane explained what was happening...they were very nervous!

They asked me to pray before I left. We all laid hands on the baby. Asked God to heal her, to allow her to eat, allow her to gain weight, and I prayed for the fear to quiet itself in their minds.

Yesterday, Laurie and I took a gift to the baby. We walked in still tears in their eyes...they get a huge smile...and with supressed speach they let it all out! Preacher Mike, its amazing...God did it...the baby has not thrown up since we prayed...she's gaining weight and the doctor said she is fine. They were blown away.

Keep in mind these are not churched people. When we left we were discussing the family getting in church...awesome!

I did nothing but what God has programmed me to do...to be an extension of His grace to others. He is the Healer, the Great Physician and our Comforter.

We Have A Building!!!

After years of dealing with unscrupulous characters, losing our church property, and wondering if God was upset with me about something....He is breaking through like the morning sun. That is the only way to describe what is happening. Its like the dark of night...and then the hint of light begins to glow in the sky early in the morning...and you know a new day is here. I feel like a new day is here! And I love how it feels. To see God break through all the darkness of the last couple years is beyond unbelievable. I am so thankful for what He is doing right now! I have never been so full of the assurance that God is working on our behalf.

It all began when God broke through the crust of my wounds and said I am still here and I need you to totally trust me. I thought I was living by faith until I made a commitment to trust God...even during the weeks I didn't receive paychecks. To trust God and do what He lead me to do...regardless of how crazy I looked. It began with a commitment, then actions; some spontaneous and some by the persistant nudging of the Holy Spirit.

Forgiving some folks was the first thing I had to do! Then people came to me asking for forgiveness! The Lord provided a much needed financial blessing for my family through a source that I was at great odds with. I went from occasional paychecks, to no paycheck, to not missing a paycheck for a few weeks now!

More importantly, I feel the change in my personal spiritual climate. Unchurched people are showing up on my doorstep...again! Its been a long time! That uncontrollable desire to share Jesus has come back. My vision is in restoration...

In the midst of all this...God drops a building in our lap. That's right starting Feb 7th Christ Life will meet @ 210 Plaza Drive...in Enterprise. It will be our location until we out grow it, and then God will provide another building.

Please keep up with my blog...I will be sharing tons of wonderful testimony for your encouragement. And believe me its meant to encourage...just six months ago my plan was to get out of the ministry...now I cannot imagine doing anything else. God is working things to the good!

The Wonderful Gift of Forgiveness!

Its true that to experience God's forgiveness is the greatest event that happens in a persons life. I often tell people that when I served the devil I was a great servant. There was alot of forgiving God had to do when He forgave me. His forgiveness is a wonderful gift.

The great thing about His gift is that He expects us to pass it on as necessary while we live on this Earth. If there is anything ministry has taught me...it is that you are going to hurt people even if you don't intend on it. Not only that, but people are going to hurt you as well.

This past year has been amazing...actually the past couple months is what I want to zero in on in this blog. Near the end of November God really began to deal with my heart about trusting Him uncoditionally. I assumed it was for provision and jobs that I was applying for. None of those jobs panned out but God began to provide. In the midst of what I thought was a test to trust Him for provision was actually something much larger.

In the past couple years the situation with our church hurt alot of people. Confused alot of people. Ticked off a few people. And, unfortunately, brought the worst out in some people. In the mess we lost alot of people because of the outright instability. In hind sight I don't blame them...it just hurt because to my face it was we're with you...we're with you...we're with you.

Recently, God laid on my heart that there was some forgiveness I needed to extend to people that had done me wrong. Some of them I have located...others are yet to be spoken too. About a month ago I was in Waffle House with my son. We saw a pastor that I had developed an attitude towards because I felt like he had split a church...I was brought up that church splitting was just something that staff pastors should never do. Regardless, he and I had lunch a while back I made a comment about why he did what he did, and he made a comment about certain churches, and I took it to heart because my church was in that category. When I saw him in Waffle House the Lord spoke to my heart to pull him aside and talk to him. I did and he forgave me. It was only the beginning of what God was about to do.

Forgiving Word of Life has been a process...they hurt me and alot of other good people. But, I can say God has helped me to forgive them. I hope to either write them a letter or talk to them personally if God allows.

While the Word of Life ordeal was going down. We took in a pastor who had fallen. We grew close to he and his family. As we grew closer I developed a sense about him that he was not trustworthy. Until this point he and I had been friends for years. When I felt like he was trying to cause me problems I had to confront him. It got ugly. I don't regret confronting him...I regret what I said...how I said it...and a position I took. When he began another church I told my wife if God honors what he does I am getting out of the ministry. There was alot to this story that I am not sharing, but trust me it was messy. Over the past month I would see him out and about...we gave each other a friendly wave. Then, God began to put it on my heart to forgive him. I fought it...then his wife showed up on our door step with a miracle in her hand. You see our family has really struggled financially with the problems the church had gone through...the past month has been amazing as I have trusted unconditionally and forgiven people...His provision was becoming more obvious. In her hand was a gift of a few hundred dollars...they had heard we were struggling. I knew it was time to forgive, and leave whatever happened in that church up to God.

Today...someone who I absolutely did not trust was riding around my subdivision...they pulled me over while I was running and said they were looking for me. She said she came from Dothan to let me know she forgave me and asked me to forgive her for all the problems that had occured. It blessed my heart to see God was also working in the hearts of others.

Forgiveness is a wonderful gift! The truth is found in scripture...if we don't forgive others, then how can our Heavenly Father forgive us! Well, I hope this encourages you as I know God is doing something.