As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of lifeshaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness.1 Peter 1:15 (MSG)

Well, one thing is certain after last night's meal here at New Hope - Pizza still rules as a kid pleasing menu choice. :) Actually there are two things that are certain. The second one?

Kids also love it when adults spend time doing something together they both love to do.

After the mass quantity of kids finished the mass quantity of pizza, the boys headed to Royal Ambassadors and worked on their RA racers, and the girls went to their Child2Child group and worked on "monsters" they've created to sell at the upcoming Saturday in the park.

It was obvious that some "shaping" was going on with the boys as they sanded and polished their cars in hopes of a victory on Saturday in the area competition. But in that group as well as in the girls gathering, what wasn't so obvious was the "shaping" of boys and girls' characters as caring and dedicated adults gave of themselves for the kids.

In each case, if the kids had been out of the way, the immediate product would have been better. After all. the adults have been sanding and sewing for years. But it's not about the immediate product, is it?

Pray for those like our RA and Child2Child leaders who give the love of Jesus every week to kids at New Hope and elsewhere. One day we'll be able to see just how they shaped the future, one child at a time.

 

"I doubt it."

 

Those might be the words you live by.

 

People have let you down so many times that when you catch a glimpse of hope, or someone seems to come into your life that gives you an indication that things might be different - that your life could change - the first words that come to your mind are "I doubt it."

 

You aren't alone in that. And it's okay to begin your journey with doubts. God knows where you are going, even if you don't. Just start walking with Him. 

 

Bring your doubts with you.

 

One thing I am constantly thankful for are the realistic pictures I get when I read about people's lives as shown to us in the Bible. Despite all the people we sometimes see in church making constant efforts to present a plastic "front" to their lives, when we look at the Bible, we see a quite different person emerging. One who is real in their fears, in their worries, and in their doubts.

 

I'm reading last night, and I come across Abraham and Sarah. "God bless them", my mother would have said. They were so mixed up at times and made so many mistakes along the way.

An example:

Then one of them said, "About this time next year I will return, and your wife Sarah will have a son." Now Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent nearby. And since Abraham and Sarah were both very old, and Sarah was long past the age of having children, she laughed silently to herself. "How could a worn-out woman like me have a baby?" she thought. "And when my master--my husband--is also so old?"
Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, 'Can an old woman like me have a baby?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? About a year from now, just as I told you, I will return, and Sarah will have a son." Sarah was afraid, so she denied that she had laughed. But he said, "That is not true. You did laugh." Gen 18:10-15 (NLT)

And that's where it ends. We are left with a picture of a woman who doubts that God can do what He says He will do, who laughs almost in His face  - is caught doing it, then denies it to His face.

Not a pretty picture.

We have several slogans around here at New Hope, but perhaps my favorite is a quote from an old saint named A.W. Tozer. I'm convinced it helped all of us as a church look past our doubts and focus on God's promises. Tozer wrote:

"Anything God has ever done, He can do now.
Anything He has ever done anywhere, He can do here.
Anything He has ever done for anyone, He can do for you."

Would Sarah have said that? Maybe not at first, but she did grow to believe God could. After the doubt, came a time of reflection, and a realization that God was able.

Later we read:
Sarah, too, had faith, and because of this she was able to become a mother in spite of her old age, for she realized that God, who gave her his promise, would certainly do what he said.  Heb 11:11 (Living)

Friends, I'm writing this to you today to tell you that God has not changed.

But some of us need to.

Embrace the idea that God loves you, and that He can do whatever He needs to do to help you see that.

He can lift you when you are weak.
He can still your heart when you are fearful.
He can demonstrate His power anyway He chooses.

 

He can do that in your life, in the life of those around you, in your community, in a church.

 

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

 

I doubt it. ;)

 

You probably remember that since our big friend Henley passed away, Monday nights have been "Allan nights" here at the Wilson home.

It's pretty simple stuff.

Bunny cooks normally and we open another place at the table for our friend. He's an interesting guest. To give you an idea about his visits, I'd have to start at about 4PM at church when he shows up to confirm that dinner is on. We leave there about 5:30 and head here. Allan sits in the front seat of the Honda and loves to use the garage door opener. I think doing that alone would be enough for Allan. Bunny and I have our patience tested by that device pretty often, but when Allan tries it always seems to work.

And he explodes in laughter. It's like a kid at Christmas.

We go into the house and Allan is greeted by the Airedales. He reminds them that he loves them. This of course does not slow down their welcoming antics, but then again, maybe it does. Allan then goes and sees Sean (and Chelsea if she's here) and either helps with the last few supper prep tasks or sits and watches ESPN. When we are all called to eat, Allan reminds us where we sit, and helps me say the blessing on our meal.

It's at that point he usually praises Bunny's cooking. Everything seems either to be "my favorite" or "this is the best I have ever had." We'll have some challenging conversation as we eat, given Allan's hearing issues and frequent changes of subject. Then pretty suddenly he'll be through. If we all are, he'll help clear the table. Bunny will ask if he wants some to take home, which he always does. He thanks us again and we head to the garage where the door opener awaits.

Now he gets to open AND close the garage. Just as we came in laughing, we leave the same way.

Not a bad way to start off the week. :)

Let us know if you'd ever like to experience the joys of our Monday nights. Our home is always open to our friends and neighbors. Who knows - play your cards right, and I might even let YOU open the garage door.

Grace and peace,

David

God Can Use It All

There are many things that happen in the life of people that are obviously negative. Heart-rending instances of events that at the time just slay us. Cause us to wonder, to doubt, to question why God would put us through them. Literally for years we can look back and have those feelings wash over us again. Was just sitting here wondering why, in the face of all the experiences of people in the Bible we are given to learn from, why do we not immediately give those tough times into God's hands.

The story of Joseph for example. He goes from most favored child to slave, from slave to manager, from manager to prisoner. He has a gift for interpreting dreams. He uses it and the guy he helps says"I won't forget this" and then promptly does. Instead of release, he suffers a relapse. But the story ends in triumph and praise for God. Joseph tells his brothers who had sold him into slavery:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. Gen 50:20 (NLT)

Yes that event in your past was awful, but God can use it.

Just had another example of that this week when a teacher prepared a lesson for a class that cut one pupil to the quick - even caused him to question how the teacher could know his circumstances. The teacher didn't, but God did. And the circumstances were almost identical to something the teacher had experienced in their own family years earlier. When they happened, hearts were broken. But many years later, God used that experience to speak Holy Spirit powered truth into the heart of someone in a way they were open to hear.


We're apt to see God everywhere when things are going well, but I'm here to tell you, God can use it all.

Grace and peace,

David

When the Storms Come

We've been enjoying our Airedale pups since we adopted them from Airedale Rescue in November. They haven't replaced the irreplaceable Henley the Great Dane, but they've added their own special antics and lovable clown expressions to our everyday life here.

Stevie (after Stevie Nicks) and Mick (after Mick Fleetwood) are pretty neat pups. They travel across the back yard at light speed, play hard, and sleep deeply. Well, they both sleep deeply until thunderstorms come and Stevie gets upset. The first time it happened we awoke at 3 AM with Stevie standing between us on the bed panting incessantly. I tried to hold here and pet her until the storms subsided. At 7:30, they finally did.

Last night as a line of storms moved through, Stevie jumped onto the love seat with me and tried to climb me like a tree. She put her head under my arm and shivered and shook. So I held her tighter and she calmed somewhat. She stayed as close as she could for over an hour and then climbed down. It rained for a while longer, but she fell asleep on the floor. I guess she just needed someone to hold her tightly until the storms ceased.

Have you been there?

I have.

There are times in many of our lives when the storms roll across our lives. Health issues, job losses, relationship hurts, could be most anything. But it shakes you and causes you to experience emotional turmoil. Where do you run? To God. David wrote this in one of his times of trouble.

5 For He will conceal me there when troubles come; He will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.
Psalms 27:5 (NLT)
Notice the personal knowledge God has of the psalmist's needs and the personal nature of God's care. "He will conceal"; "He will hide"; "He will conceal."

When you place your trust in God, He becomes your comforter and your strength. In times of trouble, move closer to Him. Put God between your troubles and you.

Grace and peace,

David

It's a Wednesday, like the Wednesday last week, the one before that and the one before that. In fact there have been hundreds like it. A group of boys will gather tonight around a man. And he will care for them.

It's a throwback, an anachronism in today's genderless society. Royal Ambassadors - a boy's only group.

Kind of like fatherhood is.

But it matters to those boys.

Joe Stoy matters. Larry Powell matters. Michael Weech matters.

There are men like them in churches all over. They don't get much "press", their name isn't on the sign. The Southern Baptist Convention will never call them to the microphone, but they've spoken on their behalf all those years.

The boys that gather around Joe and Michael are mostly neighborhood kids who go back to homes where dad may or may not be present. If there's a man there, chances are he's not committed to "until death do us part" to the boy's Mom, and her kids are somewhere below that level of un-commitment.

The Bible tells us to train up children in the way they should go. How will they know the way without people who care? How will a boy find that Jesus is the way unless someone they trust can share His love?

As I'm sitting here praying for tonight, I'm thanking God for Joe Stoy, Larry Powell, and Michael Weech who are giving of themselves each week to help boys become godly men.

You should too.

Grace and peace,

David Wilson
Visit with me at my blog:
http://itslikeherdingcats.blogspot.com/

What do you know about this picture without any doubt whatsoever?

That turtle did not get on that fence post by himself. Someone else had to put him there.

That popped into my admittedly strange mind today when I was reading the first of the letters attributed to the apostle Peter. That rough hewn Galilean fisherman is one of my favorite characters in all of Scripture simply because of his so obvious flaws in character. Impulsive, unlearned, rough, crass, and with an opinion of himself that didn't square with who he really was, Peter was as they say all over the South, "a real piece of work." Now for those of you who are not clued into Southern expressions, that one has more to do with how much work is yet to be done than it ever has with what sort of person the "piece of work" is now.

Peter needed work.

A LOT of work.

Oh he had his moments, but there were always others coming down the road that showed everyone just how short of the mark he was. At root, Peter was all about Peter and how things affected him. He's the absolutely last person I would ever expect to write something like this.

8 Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.
1 Peter 4:8 (MSG)
See, I read that and it made me go "Whoa! How'd he get there?"
I'd say Peter had help getting to that point in his life. He'd been led past "what's in it for me?", and made his way by "what difference does it make?"
Now, with everything he has within him, he's practically begging his fellow followers of Jesus to make love the end all be all of their lives - of every waking moment.
What changed Peter?
His great failure, and Christ's great forgiving grace.
Peter never forgot just what Jesus had done for him. Have you?
Do you need a touch of God's amazing grace today? Open your heart, confessing your need and accept His love as help for your soul. Find the freedom that only a life hid in Christ's love can give.
You can't get there without help.
Grace and peace,

David

 A Little bird told me....

Bunny and I are wishing Spring forward with everything we've got. After last week's arctic weather here, we've stepped our efforts up even more. We look for every possible sign of progress toward the wonder that is Spring. Just last evening we noticed that it wasn't dark when we left the church whereas it had been in December. The tree trimmers are at work pruning in preparation too. Good signs.

We need it. Darkness and cold weather can really discourage folks who live for the light and warmth of summertime like us. Add a dash of tiredness, a little grief, and sprinkle a pinch of worry and you have yourself a real discouragement casserole.

What do you do when you get discouraged?

Do you sink back into the gloom?
Pretend you're not?
Or do you look hopefully for signs that no matter what you see, God sees you?

For some reason this old song popped into my head while I prayed this afternoon. I wonder how many people it has helped over the years to remember - If God is for us, who can stand against us?

Why should I feel discouraged
and why should the shadows come
why should my heart feel lonely
and long for heaven and home

When Jesus is my portion
a constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
and I know He watches over me
His eye is on the sparrow
and I know He watches over me

I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
His eye is on the sparrow
and I know He watches me

29 What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin*? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it.  30 And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31

God is good. All the time.

Grace and peace,

David

Found!

After two days trapped in the rubble of his own home, toddler Claude Redjeson was running out of time. But in the aftermath of the destruction, rescuers from around the world have and are converging on Haiti with one mission in mind - save lives. Ordinary people from around the world with an extraordinary passion for saving lives.

A team that had been in Spain the day before, and arrived in darkness amid devastation, defied the dangers and pulled Claude from the jaws of death. Félix del Amo, a Spanish mountain rescuer and diver, along with Óscar Vega Carrera, a Spanish firemen, succeeded in getting Redjeson out of the rubble.

Look at the picture of Claude as he's presented to his mother. Awesome!!!

He was lost, but now he's found.

I know how that feels.

A rescuer came for me one day and pulled me out of death's grip. Forever. His name was Jesus, and all I had to do to be rescued was acknowledge my need, His ability, and accept His leadership over my life. I chose faith in Jesus.

It's the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. 9 Say the welcoming word to God—"Jesus is my Master"—embracing, body and soul, God's work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That's it. You're not "doing" anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That's salvation. 10 With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: "God has set everything right between him and me!" Romans 10:8-10 (MSG)

Do you know someone who is trapped?

Bring them to Jesus. Or bring Jesus to them. But go!

Are you trapped? Pick up a Bible and read it. Spend some time asking Jesus to reveal His love for you. Decide to follow Jesus.

You should see the look on HIS face when you do.

Grace and peace,

David
Visit with me at my blog:
http://itslikeherdingcats.blogspot.com/

Visit with Bunny at her blog:
http://henleythegreatdane.blogspot.com/

Or visit New Hope!
http://www.newhopevalp.org/

"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? 5 When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, 6 and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' 7 Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.
Luke 15:4-7 (MSG)

Saturday I came up to the church to do some work that I normally do on Sunday morning. My thought was that it would be a lot warmer then. Actually the difference between anything below 40 degrees seems to be irrelevant to my body, but I digress. :)

Some of our young people were up here playing their Star Wars RPG and came walking over to the office followed by a cute dog. "Brother David, this dog just showed up and we don't know where he came from." The dog didn't have a collar or any identification and I didn't recognize it. But I told them I'd figure out what to do with it.

It was a really cute pekinese type dog, with beautiful fur and was very friendly. Yes, it was a little unsure of all the strangers, but when I picked him up his shivering quickly ceased. Still, it was so cold I could not see leaving the dog to find it's way home. The picture of that puppy outside later when darkness fell was unacceptable.

I saw Jim, Mary, and Ka'rin Quinnell over in the fellowship hall and walked over to ask them what they thought I should do. They agreed that the pup was too well kept to be homeless and probably belonged to someone nearby. They suggested I call the Valparaiso Police and ask them if they had any reports of lost dogs. So I did. You get an idea of how small Valparaiso is by the dispatch operator's offer to send a police car to pick up the dog. I told her that since I had to pass the city hall on the way home, I'd drop it off, but first I wanted to drive through the neighborhood and see if anyone had lost him.

So I started praying that God would help me find the owner and that this little one would be able to be in the arms of someone who loved him. I walked over to the Honda dog-mobile and we drove away from the church. 50 feet past the first corner, I saw a couple of women loading up an SUV. I had the dog in my lap and it went off into vibrate mode and they lit up like the sun.

"Kiki! Where have you been?" And the celebration began. :)

Mission accomplished.

As I drove on home, I couldn't help but think of what it must look like in heaven when God's children are "found". I know that the good people who are part of our churches need care, need instruction, need everything we can reasonably give. But my heart tells me that God's heart for the lost should be our heart too.

It's an awesome feeling to be a part of getting someone (or some dog) "found". I hope we get more opportunities to experience that here at New Hope in 2010.

Grace and peace,

David Wilson

Was reading earlier about the some of the darkest times in history. Moments in time when it looked as though all was lost  - and would have been if it wasn't for some individuals that said "I will stand firm."

Christopher Columbus was under great pressure the last few weeks of his journey to find the New World. His crew was threatening mutiny, but he kept telling them, just a little while longer. In the face of opposition that would have robbed him of the fulfillment of his mission, he stood firm.

George Washington, if he had been pragmatic about the army he commanded at Valley Forge, would have seen only the army of that winter, not the renewed and strengthened one he saw in Spring. He looked ahead and stood firm.

Winston Churchill looked across the Atlantic where Germany had consolidated its conquests by kicking the last British troops into the sea at Dunkirk and went before the English people and told them not to quit - that this would be their finest hour.

They held onto hope until things changed. They stood firm. What's the secret to doing that?

The great British General Wellington, when asked after Waterloo the difference between his victorious troops and the beaten French said this "My men are not braver than the enemy. They are just brave 5 minutes longer."

If we can learn from history, we can certainly hear and learn from God's Word right?

3 Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.14 And do everything with love1 Cor 16:13-14 (NLT)

15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.2  Thess 2:15 (NLT)

There are far too many times people quit when if they had just held on a little longer they would have realized what they longed for.

My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
1 Peter 5:12 (NLT)

Peter - biggest failure there was, who once He experienced the risen Christ became the Rock Jesus saw he could be.

Rocks stand firm. Peter did once he let his love for and faith in Christ rule His life and overcome his fears..

There's still time to decide that your future is not going to depend on your goodness but on God's grace. Still time to rely on the strength of God in you rather than your own strength. Still time to retrace your steps back to where you stepped out of God's will. Go back and decide that the next time you are tested, you'll stand firm.

Grace and peace,

David

It's cold!

January came in like a lion almost everywhere in the eastern United States, and has everyone - including Floridians scrambling to keep warm. Sometimes we forget that there actually is a thing called winter down here. We get spoiled. Even today, with the temps peaking in the mid 40s, I've seen several die hard Floridians in shorts and flip flops. It almost seems as if they refuse to believe it's cold.

But just to repeat once again - it's cold!

At this time of year, with the shorter periods of daylight, and now the cold also acting to discourage much unnecessary outdoor movement, some people struggle with the blues. After all the bright lights and shiny things of Christmas, after you return home or the family leaves, or after you just wake up and realize another year is past, the blues can sneak into your heart.

So how to banish them?

Well, let's hear from a man who at the time he wrote this was imprisoned in a dungeon.

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7 (NLT)

There's a challenge in those words and a promise. First, we need to be proactive in pushing back against the chill of the blues. Just telling yourself "I won't worry" is about as effective as telling yourself "I won't eat that chocolate cake over there." Don't ask me about how I know that. :)


Substitute prayer for that useless worrying. Have a conversation with God in which you remember Who He is and what He has done for you, and where you tell Him what you need.

Then breathe in the mercy, grace and goodness that is God. Make sure He is first in your life in everything. And then you'll experience His peace and His presence - His promise is - He'll guard your heart.


So stop and focus on just what we have received in Jesus. Pardon for our sins. Provision for today. Hope for tomorrow. Strength to meet the challenges regardless of what they are.

Turn the heat up - on your relationship with God.

Grace and peace,

David
Visit with me at my blog:
http://itslikeherdingcats.blogspot.com/

Visit with Bunny at her blog:
http://henleythegreatdane.blogspot.com/

Or visit New Hope!
http://www.newhopevalp.org/

Mondays With Allan

Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters 1 John 4:21 (NLT)

When we lost our big friend Henley the Great Dane to cancer last month, we found ourselves with a house that seemed very empty. Then up walked our friend Allan. On every single visit to our home previously, Allan had never been able to come inside because of his fear of Henley. No matter what we told him about how the worst that could happen would have been some slime if Henley licked him, and maybe some boofing, Allan wouldn't come past the threshold and even asked us to step outside.

But on that day, he came in. It was the first night after we lost Henley and it was a quiet house. Allan fixed that right away. Then he surprised us by staying for supper. After he had eaten he looked at Bunny and asked "when can I come eat with you again?"

Bunny said "How about Monday night?"

And every Monday night since, we've had Allan as a guest at our table.

Allan's a great guest. He'll keep the conversation going, and ask to take your plate to the sink along with his if you are through. His presence and his attitude are that of a servant, and his job is to make you feel better.

He'll never know how much he has done for us in helping us past our grief and reminding us that God uses all His servants in His care for those He loves.

I thank God for His servant of love - our friend - Allan Hill.

Call us if you want to come next Monday night too. :)

Grace and peace,

David Wilson

Our friend Allan Hill had a birthday last week. He's the youngest 27 year old I know. Allan lives just down the road from the church, and very frequently drops by or calls both there and at the house. There are probably very few people who have lived in Valparaiso very long that have not seen Allan out walking, and a large number of those people also know him personally.

Allan's hard not to know.

He's never really met a stranger, and when he does, he's generally within hailing distance of someone he does know, so he does what comes natural to him. "Do you know David? David is my pastor" is what I have heard on several occasions when I ran into Allan while out in the community.

So today when we were at one of his favorite places, Dollar General, when we picked out a gift for him, Bunny asked the clerk if Allan had one of them already. "No, but he will like that.," she said, so our purchase was made. She knew him that well.

I sit here and wonder sometimes, what if the whole community - not just the church - but everyone, was as open and connecting as Allan? What if we knew each other so well that pretty much anyone among us could tell someone else whether something as silly as a birthday gift would make us smile?

Think about it.

And here is what Allan will be getting.



It plays "On the road again" and sways while its ears flap up and down.

I expect to hear it a lot until Allan runs the batteries down. But it will make him happy, and that will be a gift to all of us as well.

Grace and peace,

David

"You just have to give them the look."

A grandmotherly lady was in the middle of her conversation with the Michael's cashier when I walked up. The cashier was giving her a look, but it didn't look like one that agreed with her customer.

"You know, when they are doing something that they shouldn't, just give them the look that says 'I mean it'."

"That doesn't work anymore," said the cashier.

"Then you must not be doing it right," replied the grandmother without missing a beat.

It took everything I had not to laugh out loud.

But I'm wondering today as I read the gospels, what must it have felt like to get a "look" from Jesus?
Matthew 19:25-27 (The Message)

25The disciples were staggered. "Then who has any chance at all?"

26Jesus looked hard at them and said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."

Okay, so we have here an example of a "look" and not just a glance but a "hard look" from Jesus. How did it work?

27Then Peter chimed in, "We left everything and followed you. What do we get out of it?"

LOL

You'd have to admit that Peter's statement may be one of the dumbest, most clueless ones of all time. :)

And it came after they received Jesus' "look". The "hard" one.

Parents, it's not your "look" that will produce change in your children. It's your LOVE.

Check the gospels. Jesus gave every ounce of love He had to those who followed Him. And though their progress was slow - and even frustrating at times - eventually they became the people who changed the world.

Grace and peace,

David

Practice

Bunny teaches piano up here at church 4 days a week. All of her students right now are children and youth, though she has taught a couple of adults. The adults didn't stick with it. Learning to play an instrument - really play one, not hit the right buttons on a pretend piece of plastic - takes a dedication that looks past what you are doing today to the rewards of tomorrow.

For example, when I'm up here and Bunny is teaching, I hear an awful lot of awful. Not really as much awful playing, because Bunny is very good at what she does and the kids respond (most of the time). But a LOT of awful music - at least from the point of view of someone who listens to music with more than one note being played at once time.

I have no idea what the names of the pieces they are playing are. Most of them I have never heard before. But each piece of music is selected because it helps a student progress in their abilities. They may sound odd at times, but by playing them, students advance to the more complex pieces. There's really no other way.

Just now Emily came in and started playing a song by Coldplay.

I have no idea how many lessons Emily has had,or how many hours she has practiced. But I hear music - music I know and love - coming from the sanctuary - and I know that she has practiced.

Let me ask a simple question.

How much effort are you putting into the practice of your faith - of your walk with Jesus?

He simply said, "Come, follow me."

When you do, it's difficult. There are some spiritual disciplines like prayer and reading the Bible that might seem tedious, even boring every now and then.

Oh, but when you begin hearing the music of God's approval - as your heart changes - as you begin taking on more and more of the character of Jesus - it is awesome! It's as if you were naturally left handed but were forced to use your "wrong" hand all your life. But now, you've discovered just how you were to live all along.

Make the decision to follow Jesus with all your heart. Stay close to Him. Practice.

Grace and peace,

David

Are You Ready?

They had just met a few hours earlier. (LA Times story)

One had just come in country, the other was just about to leave. In terms of where they were placed on the official chain of command, no one would have noticed them. A corporal, a lance corporal.

But where they stood on that day was with the greats.

The day started out normally for any marine on security detail, with Cpl. Jonathan Hale explaining how to run a checkpoint - what to look for, how to handle the flow and the traffic to Lance Corporal Jordan Haeter. Only minutes had passed since the two had met as the sun rose over Ramadi.

Suddenly the two spotted a Mercedes truck coming through the winding lanes of the security barriers. They yelled at it to stop, and waved at the driver to tell him to slow down. But the truck, laden with over 2,000 pounds of explosives, and its driver wired to a switch that would detonate them even if he were killed, sped up.

The Iraqi police who were the first line of defense cut and ran.

The two Marines engaged the truck as it barreled toward them - Hale with his machine gun, Haeter with his M-16. Before the truck was able to make it into the base, it exploded, leaving a crater 5 feet deep and 20 feet across - flattening a house and a mosque nearby.

When the dust settled, Haeter was dead and Yale mortally wounded. 30 others were wounded, but the dozens of Marines and Iraqis who were inside the base were unharmed.

The commanding general of all Marines in Iraq, Gen. Kelly, personally investigated the attack, and when he viewed the security tape, there he saw the two Marines, put together minutes before, standing as brothers firing at the truck headed directly toward them. As the tape rolled you can see the others running for safety, but the two Marines were faithful unto death. They were awarded the Nary Cross posthumously.

When do you think the two men who gave up their lives for their friends made that decision? Was it done in that moment?

Or was it when they made the decision to serve their nation by becoming a United States Marine?

Friends, what kind of decision did you make when you decided to follow Jesus?

12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.13 There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.

John 15:12-13 (NLT)

Will you be ready when the time comes to live out your faith?

Will you deny yourself and pour out your life as an offering out of love for the One who gave His life for you?

Are you ready?

Grace and peace to you,

David Wilson

Not Yet

Bunny and I were on the way to the store last night, and both of us commented on how the same Christmas lights that seemed full of joy and anticipation just a couple of days ago seemed lifeless and frankly tacky now.

The tents that had held the Christmas trees that families bought and took home to bring some of the sights and smells of Christmas were empty, and were being converted to sell the New Year's fireworks so many down here seem to enjoy.

For some, this past week has been pretty hard.

Harriet and Bill Standifer will bury the remains of Harriet's sister and her husband Monday. Both passed away tragically last week, Harriet's sister on Christmas Eve. A pastor friend of mine, Keith McNamar, up in Connecticut lost a one month old nephew yesterday, the child of his brother who has had some real issues with family for years, and been estranged from them and from God.

So this is Christmas?

Yes, and not yet.

Yes, we celebrated the coming of Christ last week. God moved into our neighborhood. But people still hurt. Loved ones still die. Christmas is still a mixture for many of joy and pain - present or past.

But friends, all the presents that Christmas promised have NOT been opened yet. Like this one:

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" Rev 21:1-5
There's more coming. More of the Kingdom of God. More of the way God originally designed things to be. Just like those childhood memories some have, where a gift is found hours after all the others were opened, God's final gifts haven't been unwrapped... yet.

So for those of us who hurt, those of us who mourn, there's hope. God hasn't forgotten us. God hasn't said "No" to our cries for help. We are NOT hopeless. He's going to make all things new. He's going to take away all the pain, personally wipe away all the tears, banish death once and for all.

Just not yet.

Until then, we have this promise - "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."

Heb 13:5 (NLT)

It is that gift we should open everyday until Christ comes again. And we should give each other the love that God has given us, to help each of us get through the "not yet" time we live in today.

Grace and peace,

David

It was at this desk, where a man built a career. He rose from salesman, to territory manager, to manage a district. He'd leave his family late Sunday night or early Monday each week and drive all over the Southeast, returning on Friday. Later on, he'd fly to distant places and meet a salesman that he'd hope to help become better. But every Friday, he'd be home.

Saturday night he'd study his Sunday School lesson at this desk, preparing to teach the class he led for decades. I can remember the men in his class and the respect they had for him as a teacher. But it wasn't just his teaching they were looking at - it was the way he lived his life. There are lots of ways to teach.

He retired from his career, and came home. Enjoyed his wife, his kids and his grandchildren - had a garden, and a shop downstairs. Still every Saturday night would find him sitting at the desk, preparing a lesson. Broadman Commentary, Standard Sunday School Lessons, Open Bible, Amplified - tools of the teacher. In retirement, he did more around the church and around the house. He had the time.

A stroke came, and he was no longer able to teach the class he loved. Some of the other things he enjoyed were affected too. Still, he adjusted. He did what the doctors told him. Lost weight, took his medicine. Though he was not teaching anymore, he still studied his lesson on Saturday night.

Now his wife of over 60 years has fallen ill, and her recuperation comes along slowly. She's being cared for in a nursing home for now. He can tell you how many days it has been since she's been home. Her picture is placed near the desk so he can see his sweetheart every time he sits there.


And the same man who left home to take care of her and his children years ago - still does. Every day he drives himself over to where she is. He can't stay there all day, but after he goes home at lunch to take his medicine, he comes back and stays until darkness approaches.

Then he kisses her and returns to his home alone.

I looked at this desk and realized this weekend, that the lessons he taught all those years at Bethesda Baptist church about what the Bible said...

... he is still teaching.

Every day.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her...
Eph 5:25 (NLT)

Friends it's one thing to follow when the road is easy and the pathway is bright. The mark of a true disciple is that they are just as faithful in the hard times. I've seen many a man in situations like this one turn inward and pull back from what needs to be done.

Not Curtis Clinard. He's got a man's faith. The Marine Corps motto is "Semper Fidelis" - always faithful. Well friends, the decisions you make today determine whether that is true of you or not. Curtis made many decisions - first to trust Jesus with His life. Then he pledged to love and honor his wife "in sickness or in health." He has. He is.

That's why I added that desk to a list of my sacred places. God used Curtis to prepare other men for trials for many years. Now the demonstration of how to bear them is being shown to all who watch. He's still teaching us.

Merry Christmas to all of you,

David Wilson

Visit with me at my blog:
http://itslikeherdingcats.blogspot.com/
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http://www.newhopevalp.org/

No one should...
Early this morning we got word that our next door neighbors son Taylor, their only son, the son they loved so fiercely, died. He was playing in the first football game of the year, and was struck in the side. I don't know what exactly happened.

Walking in the home this morning was surreal. People were standing around in shock. The boy's dad, a decorated SF major was still in ACUs, as he had been away at drill when the call came in the night before. I walked up to him and hugged him. We cried for a couple of seconds. We talked for a minute about how his wife was doing, how was he doing? That sort of thing. I let him know we were asking everyone to pray for him, his wife and their family. Then he led me into his office.

He asked me if I'd look over his son's obituary - to see if it was okay. He was due at the funeral home and had to leave in a minute. Here was a man who in the course of his service has probably had to write someone's family a letter, telling them that their son "died valiantly in the service of his country and the defense of freedom. That he was "a great soldier and a credit to the company/division/regiment whatever." But now he was concerned with making sure that his own son's life was summed up well.

I had already given him the benefit of my years of studying the Scriptures by crying with him. Now I gave him what I could from my years as a writer. "There's no way to say it all, today." Taylor was an incandescent spirit. He lived in a perpetual state of smile, it seemed to us next door. Unfailingly polite, frequently funny, one of those kids who just seemed to be headed for great things. "What you've written is good. Others will write a lot more." And he headed out to the funeral home, his son's obituary in his hand.

I hate it for him - for Kathy, Taylor's mother. I hate it happened. No one should ever have to write his 15 year old son's obituary. No one should.

So today we weep with those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn. We pray for our friends next door with an empty room for the first time in 15 years. We pray that the grace of Christ will flood in and cause the darkness to flee. We pray for everyone who hurts tonight, and since this is a small town, there's a lot of people hurting. And we remember again just how sin-sick this world is. Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Taylor Haugen, we'll miss you. But we will see you again.

Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Romans 8:20-21 (NLT)