One Pastor's Perspective

The following is a note, posted on Facebook yesterday by my niece, Jill Murray. She is finising her undergrad degree at Abilene Christian U in Texas and then pursuing a career in psychology. Again, WOW!

“I turned my back“

I felt it was time for a new note, since it has been a while since I have written one.

As I was sitting in class today, I was just thinking and almost dazing off about random things in my life. School, relationships, family, organizations, etc. It was weird. I got to thinking about how each thing I am involved in, gives me something different that I can take away. Isn’t it amazing how God provides us all with all these ways to learn things? It could be through something so simple, yet we can take the biggest lesson from it. It’s a weird concept… to know that something so little can teach us the biggest lesson. Like take today for example. I was getting gas before class this morning and I slid my debit card and the reader wouldn’t work and I got so frustrated. “Because it’s inconvenient.” So I got my keys and locked my car and walked in the store and there was standing about a 17 year old girl working the register and she was bawling. Her face was so swollen from tears and she was just standing there and when I walked in, she almost tried to play it off. I felt weird at first because I didn’t know if I should ask if she’s okay or just ignore it like I thought she wanted me to. So I gave her my card, responded politely when she asked how my day was, and got ready to leave. So I turned my back and started for the door and I got this weird feeling i my stomach, kind of like I should stop. So I turned around and she had already cried more from the time when I went to leave, to the time when I turned around.

I looked at her and just said, is there anything you need? And needless to say, we sat there and had an hour long conversation about certain things and it was a blessing because no one came by the gas station during that time. All in all, she just needed someone to listen and God worked his magic.

The point of this story is what I was taught out of it. I was taught, that honesty in all, I turn my back on people… a lot. When they need someone, I tend to turn my back sometimes because I get afraid. I get scared of what could be possible or what trouble could be going on and it’s selfish. I think more than 10 of us can relate. We get scared of the negative and of the dark times. We want to think that everything is okay at times, when in reality, it may terrible. I am not speaking for anyone, but I am sure someone can relate. To the fact that sometimes we do get scared and we don’t know what to do or how to help handle it.

But the thing to understand is that it rains… it rains a lot. And the point of strife and trouble is that HE wants to hold you when times are unsure or dark. He gets to be there when we need him, instead of when we want him. It should be both ways, but often times we call upon him when we only need him, not because we want him there. He works thru ways that we may not even fathom until we join him. He sends people, things, situations, opportunities because he knows it is what we need, even though it may not be what we want. The point I am trying to get across…. Don’t ever be scared to help someone or not have confidence in helping someone. I know I should listen to my own words, which I will, but understand we are all here on earth to help each other. I appreciate what God taught me to today because it was something that needed to be pointed out, to humble my thoughts and keep me on the ground. He knows exactly what to do to clear up questions or confusion I may have about myself or a situation.

If you’re reading this, I challenge you to try to listen more to him and see that opportunities are in your life because he put them there, not because we did them ourselves. Everything we have, revolves around the fact that he provides for us. I mess up, big time… but I cannot dwell on it. I can move on and take what I’ve learned and try to make it better. I am human. Humans fail each other constantly, it’s just a way of life. But there is always room for second chances, and third, and fourth chances. Try not to hold grudges because it will eat at you, just as it has me in the past few weeks. Try out a new way: try looking at someone thru the way Jesus sees that person. Pray for it. Pray for vision like his for one day, and you might be surprised what you see.

Yep!!! I now have a daughter who is technically an adult. Krissy turned 18 today. WOW.

As if it were yesterday, I remember the phone call from Diana telling me that I was going to be a dad. I went into shock. Not that I was not happy, but that was a radical thing for me. We had been married at that point for almost three years, and now responsibility would REALLY kick in. Again, WOW.

She was born on a Wednesday evening. We were youth workers at our chuch, and half of the youth department and our families were out in the waiting room. Krissy was a C-section baby but I was allowed into the OR. I will never forget any of it.

It seems like yesterday. Since that day so much has happened in life. Ups. Downs. The past few months, as we prepare for her to go to college, have been bittersweet. Krissy has become a friend to me. Our times on the softball field pitching have been awesome. The best time a dad could spend with his daughter. She plans to go to med school after undergraduate, so there will be no softball in college. Our days on the field will come to an end in a few months.

Yeah, November 14, 1990 seems like yesterday. And now she is 18.

WOW.

This morning I was on a team of guys that helped do prayer breakfast for Justin. I don’t know how many kids were there today . . . It was between 80 and 90. There were almost 50 junior highers. And, a wild time was had by all!

What was cool, though, was the fact that some guys knew there was a need, so they came. Around 6am there were five men in the church at that youth house helping to cook. For the most part, all I had to do was talk (which I am good at). We had fun and the kids ate well.

One of the great things about EBC is that whenever we get together, no matter how hard or easy the work is, we have fun. I know pastors who would give their eye teeth to be able to say that. I am one lucky dude.

10. Youth ALL grow up eventually.
9. Sometimes they leave and sometimes YOU MISS THEM.
8. It is really cool to do their weddings.
7. It is EVEN COOLER to see their newborn babies.
6. When they succeed, it makes you proud.
5. When they celebrate the joys of life, you celebrate, too.
4. When they hurt because of the realities of life, you hurt, too.
3. The ones you never thought you would reach are the ones that come back and tell you what a difference you made.
2. Sometimes when they screw up, you want to box their ears.
1. No matter what happens, they will ALWAYS be your kids.

I would have to slow down and rest a little to CLASSIFY as a burnout right now. So much has happened in the last few days/weeks/months. I meet myself coming and going from my house frequently. It is really weird.

I love my family and I love this church. Of course, I do it all for God, but they are the secondary reason. And as long as I am able to keep it up, I will.

For now, I AM TIRED!!!! But, I am pumped!!!!

For those of you looking for some HOW news, we still have MANY CARDS to be turned in and counted, so I am not saying ANYTHING yet!!!!

Today I am going to the SC Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting in Columbia. I only get to stay for half of the day, thanks to some commitments at EBC, but that will be enough . . . Enough to reconnect with some old friends and attend a Lunch-N-Learn session.

My favorite thing about the convention is that I will get to see some old friends from the upstate, and even some across town that I don’t get to see enough. You wouldn’t believe it, but I DO work more than on Sundays and Wednesdays. And I miss my friends!!

So, for now, I am goin to Columbia!!

Yesterday really was a great day! And, as I preached, I believe it will go down as a historic day in the life of Ebenezer Baptist Church (a 230-year-old church that has had quite a few historic days). But, how will it be judged?? What will the result of this day be?

Honestly, we don’t have any final numbers. Many people have still not submitted their cards. Several were not ready yesterday, and some where unable to be there yesterday. And some will not take part.

How will this day be judged? The current total is weak, even though many families have made sacrificial gifts. But I believe God is still at work in this thing. We need to pray!!! And be obedient!! THAT is all God asks of each of us!

And, HE has the plan!!!

One of the remarkable things about the EBC staff is that somehow we find a way. Working at a church is one of the most demanding and depressing jobs in the world: No matter how much you do, there is ALWAYS MORE to be done. That can be a good thing, and it can also give you that feeling of your wheels spinning in mud.

Statistically, and in every way you slice that stats, we are understaffed. We have a skeleton crew and yet are able to pull unreal things off. CONSTANTLY. The flip side of that coin is there are vocal people at EBC that do not believe we do ANYTHING. Yes, there are a few that would empty the entire staff roster and start over. In a church with 1200 members, that will ALWAYS be a fact of life. We plod through all of that . . .

And we find a way. In spite of the criticisms and limitations placed on us, we find a way. I am not bragging on ME, but I AM BRAGGING on our staff. They are the best, and most of them are a bad month away from Bull Street. Pray for them and be thankful for them. I do, and I am.

Today we ran a coax that will give the sanctuary a video/audio link to the tent . . . OVERFLOW for those who cannot handle the tent OR cannot find a seat will be in the sanctuary!! I know some older members who will be very happy about that.

Running the cable and setting the equipment up was actually a little bit of fun in this crazy week. After finishing that one, Ed, Bill, Kyle, and I set up the stages and the frame for the projection screen. This thing is starting to come together!!

I can’t wait for Sunday!!!!!

No matter which side of the fence you were on, change really is coming!! If you are an Ebenezerite, you know change has been on the horizon for several years. And, this coming Sunday, we will vote on it. You say “We voted MONTHS ago to move ahead with our building program.” True. But, this Sunday we vote with our checkbooks!! The REAL vote happens now. Are we willing to support it?? Are we willing to make this thing a PRIORITY in our PERSONAL LIVES??

One way or another, change is coming. And now more than ever we are in a place where we MUST trust God with our future. No matter how we “vote.”