I wonder what if felt like to be standing on the bank of the Red Sea, as the Egyptians were closing in. I imagine the moments just before the miracle when the Red Sea was divided were the most intense moments the people of Israel had ever experienced in their life. Fear? Doubt? Panic? Tears? I’m sure all of that and so much more.
I wonder what it was like to be standing in the middle of flames of fire, experiencing your death sentence because you wouldn’t worship an idol. I wonder when it hit them that they were experiencing a miracle? When did they realize they were in fire but they weren’t burning? The three Hebrew brothers had undeniable faith in God, but still I wonder what went through their mind as they landed in the furnace just before the miracle?
What about Daniel? Can you imagine the terror, waiting and wondering when the first hungry cat would “dig in” to the human rump roast? What was it like for him in the moments, maybe even hours before he realized he was experiencing a miracle?
I have to tell you that I feel like I’m standing on the banks of the Red Sea with Moses today. Feel kind of like I’m in the firey furnace waiting for the excruciating pain of the fire to begin licking away at me, or like I can feel the breathe of the lions on my neck, I can hear them growling, licking their chops. I feel like I’m in the moments just before my miracle, wanting to believe more than anything that a true miracle is coming; not just a treatment of the side effects, but a true and permanent healing.
The hardest part in these final moments before the miracle is keeping faith. I guess that’s what I’m wondering. Did those guys have trouble holding on to their faith just before the miracle?
I asked for some miracle stories yesterday, and for the one story, and the one reality check comment, that I got, I’ll say thanks. But I have to believe there are more miracle stories out there, I’m listening. . . .
Tuesday - A lady comes to the office crying, almost uncontrollably. Her daughter and son-in-law and three grandkids are living in China. The youngest grandbaby is having seizures, and they are trying to determine the cause. She felt so hopeless, and powerless, being here and them there. She was needing a miracle a miracle of peace, and a miracle of healing for her grandbaby.
Wednesday - A young woman calls the office asking for a pastor to pray with her. She’s single, a waitress, on a very small income. She’s caring for her one year old nephew, while her sister serves a jail sentence. She can’t pay the rent and is looking at eviction this Friday. Imagine: a baby and no home. We prayed. I’m hoping we can help her somehow. She needs a miracle.
Today - I have some things that have literally been keeping me up at nights, this week. Personal issues, needs, concerns, that only God knows about. Compared to a sick grandbaby or possible eviction, my needs seem so small and insignificant. Still I need a miracle.
Would you help me pray for some miracles today?
What miracle has God done in your life? It sure would be encouraging to hear right about now.
So our big girl left for camp today(Monday). She was so pumped about getting to go, she was downright giddy. While we were frantically trying to get her ready last night I thought I would turn the camera on and catch some of the festivities. I’ve been inspired by the Master of Videography, to learn a little about video editing and that kind of stuff so I decided to doctor this little project up with some fun little extras. (Its by no means “quality” and the Master of Videography will probably laugh at my lack of skill, but it’s my first attempt and it was fun none the less) Its 11 minutes long, which shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows how long winded I am. But if you gotta few minutes and you wanna watch Maddie’s new favorite sit-com, “The Mack & Mo/Jo Show” knock yourself out:
I was up early this a.m. studying & reading (through blogs) when I came across this particular post. I started laughing so hard that I started shaking the bed to the point that mama bear woke up (emphasis on bear). Soon tears began to run down my cheeks and she asked me what was wrong, I tried to tell her what I had just read, but I couldn’t for laughing so hard. I had to shut my computer, get out of bed, and go laugh somewhere else. I had to share it with you. I don’t know if it was really that funny, or if it was just early, or if I had a mental picture of someone like this:
Do you have any stories of “flighty” people at your church?
Is your life fulfilled? Are you living life to the fullest? You don’t have to tell me your answer. But I think we all need to ask that question at some point in our lives, and we all have to answer it as well.
If you are living a fulfilled life I’m curious to know, how?
If not, I guess I have to ask: What are you going to do about that?
Several months ago I met a husband and wife at church that were expecting twins. I couldn’t believe my ears when Stephanie, the wife, told me that she was a surrogate for another lady who was unable to carry her babies to term. Through the medical marvels of in vitro fertilization, this average, young, Caucasian woman, gave birth a couple weeks ago to two beautiful Hispanic baby boys. I asked Stephanie some questions about her experience, here’s what she said:
Q. Why did you decide to be a surrogate?
A. I had heard about surrogacy before I ever had my children and it sounded like something I wanted to do and once I had my two daughters it confirmed my thoughts. To see my girls running around and growing up and knowing there were couples out there that couldn’t experience that broke my heart. And I felt the least I could do was help a baby grow inside me.
Q. Did you ever regret your decision?
A. Not once. There were stressful and tough times, but that’s the same of any pregnancy. I knew through it all that those two boys were worth every step I had to take to make it to delivery day.
Q. What was it like when you gave the babies to their mother?
A. There are hardly any words to describe my ultimate feeling of joy. To watch their whole lives change on their face in mere seconds was so beautiful. I never thought I could feel such love for another family. We were only in town a few days after the birth and the babies were still in the NICU. When I would visit and watch the mother and father hold their children it filled my heart with love. Like I said, it’s hard to find the words.
Q. Would you do it again? Why?
A. I would do it again right at this moment. Of course I have to wait 6 months until I can be pregnant again and I am so excited for that time to come. Everyday I think of that family and of my own and am still in awe that I am am blessed with them. The couple constantly thanks me for the gifts of life I gave them, but I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity. I truly feel God gave me this calling and knew I could go through this and feel nothing but joy from it. This experience has changed my life and has showed me that my heart can love with no boundaries.
Is this all there is to the life of a Christ follower? Helping others in absolutely radical ways? If so, then I would say Stephanie is living life to the fullest.
We had a guy come into the office for help yesterday. That’s really nothing new. Since our church sits right up against I-10, we get quite a few transients stopping in to say “hey” or “help.” (more help than hey).
This guy was on his way to Gulfport, MS to find work. Apparently he was hitching rides along the way and got stranded here in Daphne. He looked miserable; he hadn’t eaten since Sunday, he hadn’t had a decent nights rest in days, and he got caught in a deluge of rain hours earlier in the day. His shoes were cracked and his socks were soaking wet from the rain. He was limping because of the blisters that had worn on his feet.
We all could see this guy was legit, so the ladies in the office started making phone calls, finding food for him to eat, and before long we found him a place to spend the night where he could clean up, get a warm meal and head on to his destination today. We even bought the guy a new pair of shoes and socks and threw away his other ones.
He was so grateful. He was absolutely speechless. It was almost like he couldn’t believe we actually wanted to help him. The transformation of a guy who showed up at our office absolutely despondent to a guy who pulled away in a taxi, toothlessly smiling from ear to ear with a sparkle of hope in his eyes, was strangely beautiful.
I’ve been asking some tough questions lately; “is this all there is?” Wondering if I’m truly living “abundant life.” But I continue to learn that moments like these are what I find the most fulfilling in life. What was even more fulfilling is watching our staff rally around this guy to help him, as one body to show him the love of Jesus. I walked back into my office after this guy left, I passed by the smiles of people I’m blessed to work with who were so eager to help somebody. I closed my door, wiped tears from my eyes and told God, “thanks for letting us be part of his story.”
Last week I had a layover in Atlanta on my way to Chattanooga. While waiting for my next flight a guy in army fatigues came and sat down across from me. The guy next to him began to ask him if he was coming home or going back to war and he said he was coming home to surprise his wife. He had devised the most strategic plan and he was being so careful not to give her any clue of his arrival. As I overheard (eavesdropped) their conversation the soldier said, “I haven’t even had Starbucks yet, cause I don’t want her to see that I’ve spent money from our checking account in the U.S.” It so happened that we were sitting directly across from a Starbucks, and without a second thought I found myself walking to the counter and buying the guy a cup of coffee. I walked back over to him, with a receipt in my hand saying I had paid for his Grande whatever.I told him to to go tell the barista what he wanted, and simply said “Thanks for what you’re doing.”
The guy looked a little shocked, but went immediately and picked up the biggest iced coffee mounded with whipped cream that I’ve ever seen. In that moment I realized that this was a small taste of what “life to the full” truly means. I wasn’t trying to evangelize or proselytize, I simply felt like I was supposed to show this guy some gratitude and the unassuming love of Jesus. I felt more alive in that moment than ever before.
Its in moments like that when we are most likely to experience life to the fullest. Sharing Jesus with someone doesn’t always mean we have to try to convince them to believe in Him. Random acts of kindness, unexpected expressions of gratitude, servant hood, and Godly love, can sometimes speak far louder than our prepared evangelistic sales pitches. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time to share the gospel in words, but there are also times when we are to share the gospel through simple actions.
What experience have you had that’s left you with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment?
The other weekend I was standing during our worship service at church, singing right along with everyone else. Some people had their hands raised, some people had their eyes closed, some were just standing there observing, and some were singing as loud as they could. I have to tell you that it seemed so comfortable, so natural for me a Christian, a pastor no less, to be standing with other Christians in worship.
Then from out of nowhere a question came racing through my mind that really startled me. “Is this all there is?” Is this current experience the pinnacle of my walk of faith? Is this what Jesus died for, so I could come to church week after week, sing some stirring songs, hear a stirring message, and go home? I guess those questions sound a little ungrateful and disingenuous, after all there are thousands of Christians around the world who would give anything to be right where I was at that moment experiencing what I experienced. At first I wondered where these questions were coming from, but as I thought about them I began to realize that God was allowing me to ask these questions for a reason. The reason?
What does a full life, or “abundant life” look like to you?
This questions is 1 part rhetorical, and 2 parts informational. I know by now that several people read this blog, so do me a favor, help me out on this one, leave your answer in the comment box below.
After several failed attempts to blog, two of my girls joined me on the couch and wanted to make a movie so here you have “Daddy and the Mo/Jo Show” Enjoy the Kaprise.
I’m a thirty three year old husband, dad, pastor, writer who sometimes has more thoughts in his head than he does words to speak what he’s thinking. So I’ve created this little window into my world where others can look inside and see what goes on in there. Its nothing brilliant, sometimes its kind of silly, often its random, still its my world and your invited to sit down with me for a while, read what I’m thinking and then let me know what you’re thinking too. Hey bring a cup of coffee while you’re at it, and if you’re buyin’ I’ll have a Venti Caramel Macchiato or a White Mocha. Oh yeah, and I better cover my bases by telling you that the views and opinions I write here are not necessarily those of Bay Community Church.
