Time Moves To Quickly

Kristin and her Mom. Two Beautiful Women

4 days! I can't believe that is all that is left in the high school career of my youngest daughter. Seems like just yesterday she was climbing in my truck and I was taking her to pre-school. Now she gets in her car and takes herself. I miss those days when I would take her and the talks that we would have. I often wonder if I cherished them enough. I hope and pray that I listened enough.

I am going to miss watching her put on the softball or basketball uniform, of which she took such pride in wearing and representing her school. I am going to miss the the stories and her unique way of telling them. She has always been one who loves a good story.

But now the time has come for her to start to spread her wings and begin to fly. This fall she will begin a new adventure as she heads off to college. She will get the opportunity to play some more basketball at Kentucky Christian University, you can keep up with her by clicking on the link below. http://athletics.kcu.edu/node/825  I am sure there are new friendships to be made andmore stories tobe told, but most of that will be done over the phone or via Skype. I am going to miss watching her face light up and I am going to miss having her come up and give me a hug just because. I am going to miss my Lil Punk. I am so proud of her and all that she has accomplished and the beautiful young woman she is becoming, but I know that God has a plan and a purpose for her life and I so look forward to watching her grow into that calling.

So for now I am going to enjoy the next four days with her. And then I am going to take trip to Honduras with her, a trip she has wanted to take since she was able to say Honduras. And then I am going to do everything I can to make her transition to the next phase of her life as simple as possible. I love my Lil Punk and she is my favorite (18 year) and yes she forever will have her dad wrapped around her finger, but she has taught me some valuable lessons about how much my Father loves me. So I am going to enjoy these next four days and all I can learn, as we live, laugh and love together.

Way to Long

Can't believe how long it has been since I have written on here! So I will try again to stay up to date on here. This week has been full already. My oldest daughter turn 21, I celebrated my 25th anniversary with one amazing woman, I am in preparation to go on the Emmaus Walk and then leaving for a trip to Honduras. So will gone I hope catch up on here with my thoughts and adventures.

John Wooden lived his life by seven principles. One being, "Make today your masterpiece." This is a choice we have. So let's go and make today a great one.

The Dance

During the last three months I have had the privilege of stepping away from ministry to allow the Lord to minister to me. I am so blessed to have leadership around me that supported me and allowed God to use them to not only continue the vision but to be living proof that we are not the stars but we are living to shine the spotlight on the STAR!!!

The three months were known to others as a sabbatical, but to me I call them The Dance. I have been so blessed to meet so many wonderful people and to go to some many different parts of the country and world. During this time I have tried to take each day one at time and to enjoy each and every opportunity to get to know new people.

Recently I went to Honduras, (actually I spent a total of 23 days in this beautiful country), to be part of a crusade with Brother Harold Coomer, Jimmy Usher and Bishop Karockas Watkins. During our time there we held a crusade in Choloma, a growing city in Honduras. Both nights there were over 20,000 people who attended. I watched as they walked (many walked several miles), drove cars, rode bikes, took taxis and and the majority rode on one of the 60 buses that were used for the crusade. I witnessed many who came in wheelchairs or on crutches. I was amazed at the desire and determination they had to be a part of this crusade.

Once there they then stood for hours. They stood and waited. They stood and worshiped. They stood and prayed. They stood and Danced!! They had came for one purpose and one purpose only, they believed that Jesus was going to be at the crusade and they wanted to come and Dance with Him. They knew if they could just get close enough He would dance with them and that they could find healing in Him. They could find hope. And for at least a little while they could find happiness and joy in a place that offers very little of either. They just wanted to dance with the Lord Of The Dance.

Oh that we all would long to get that close. That we would be willing walk, drive, or crawl because we trust that He is able to bring wholeness into our live. That we would trust that the music is still playing and He is calling us to dance.

As the sabbatical comes to an end, I pray that I never forget the many people and places I encountered along the way. But the most important lesson I learned was we all need rest every once in a while, but we all called to come and DANCE.

Keep Dancing,

Pastor Ed

Life is A Story

During the past few weeks I have been reminded of how different and yet how alike each of us are. I have had the opportunity to meet with a few old friends and make a few new ones. In each conversation I am reminded that we all have a story to tell. Our lives are filled with with moments that when captured are full of potential.

I spent a week with a dear friend, Jimmy Usher. Jimmy is more than a friend he is more like my spiritual father. He helps to bring balance into my life. Jimmy is a storyteller and a master at putting just the right words together. Jimmy is currently writing the story of Charlie Smith's life. Charlie started Heart to Honduras and was a very interesting and challenging man. To listen to Jimmy tell stories of Charlie's life puts you right there as if you were sitting with Charlie. When you lose yourself in the life of a story you know that you are in the presence of a great storyteller.

This reminds me that Jesus was a great story teller. He had a way of taking the normal everyday object and using it to show you things about your life that you never knew. He could stoop down in the dirt and with his finger just write and let a lady, who others found despicable, feel as if her life was of value. That is what I love about Jesus, He wants us to know that we are of value. He wants us to know that our life and our story matter. That to tell our story helps to bring healing into our lives and let's others see how our lives can be redeemed.

God is not into the manufacturing business, He is in the masterpiece profession. The Bible tells us that we are "fearful and wonderfully made", and that we are "His workmanship (His poem, novel)". Each story or life is handcrafted and when we let Him, God shapes and forms and makes us into someone we never thought we could be. God has given each of us an opportunity to live out our story and in days to come to tell our story so that others will see where we were and where we are now. And as others see where we are we can tell them that we heard the Great Story and we let our story join His Story and the rest is history.

It has been said, "How fearful and wonderful are man's terrible and glorious capacities and possibilites...It is said that every man's life contains sufficient material for a great novel." May others read your story and find it filled with chapters of grace and mercy.

Mushrooms, Car Salesman and Angels

So the time of rest and travel has begun. I am so thankful for the leadership and people of CrossRoads for allowing me this time to be away. I believe that this time will be spent reconnecting, refreshing, and renewing my life.

What I am looking most forward too is meeting new people along the way. I believe that we all have a story that we are waiting to tell. Our story of where we have been, we are now and where we believe we are going. As we say at CrossRoads, we all have either been, are now or will be at at crossroads. A place where our story has converged. A place where we ask what is next and which road must I choose that will lead to life change.

Over the last week I have the opportunity to meet many people who have been at this crossroad. I have met a car salesman named Mac who has been blessed by God to bless others. He uses his business as a front for ministry. His office is more than a place to finalize a deal, it is a place intended on finalizing a decision to simply follow.

I met a pastor by the name of Jerry who God is using to bring life change to a small community in Alabama. He has seen the church grow from 60 to 2000 in a little over 8 years. His story of Life Change once again encouraged me and reminded me that God is going to use CrossRoads to make a difference in our city, county, state and around the world. God used Jerry to make sure that CrossRaods willingness to serve Haiti was accomplished. He personally saw too it that the gift Crossroads sent was in the hands of Operation Compassion. Thanks Jerry!

I met a number of waitresses that reminded once again that we are called to serve. I was graciously served by Erin, Samantha, Genise, Brittany and Mallory, as well as James at my favorite spot Starbucks. Each one reminded me that life takes us down different roads, but we get the most out of life when we put others before ourselves. Thanks to the angels that where sent to serve.

I believe in God meetings. The times when all you can say is, "This is a God thing!" That is what I felt when a met Mark and Diane Holman. The couple in the picture above. While eating at Chili's they overhead me mention Bardstown, KY and that led to a great conversation and a story of God's divine guidance and provision. They were from Bardstown but over the last year had moved to Alabama to work, Mark is a chemical plastic engineer and Diane had worked for the State tourism here in Kentucky. But while visiting the great city of Foley, AL, she came in contact with a pizza place called Mellow Mushroom. She fell in love with the pizza and the atmosphere and talk Mark into looking at the possibility of buying into the franchise. After a number of setbacks, they continued to wait on God's timing and while they waited they did not sit on their backsides, they put their faith in action and began to serve. They took their time of waiting an used it to serve the local body. One would prepare the meals and the other served the meals at the church. The body of Christ with flesh.

During this time God was at work, as He always is, preparing the right place for them to serve. So beginning last May the opened the one and only Mellow Mushroom Pizza place in Huntsville, AL. The place is amazing and the pizza is incredible. But pizza and other delicacies are only the resources that God is using to help Mark and Diane lead people to the one true Source. They are using the opportunity to serve pizza, as their way of serving their employees and their customers. God is using them big time to make His name known. Their story is amazing and is what I look forward to experiencing more of on this time away.

So today take a moment and look around you. You may see an angel dressed as a pizza delivery guy, a waitress or a car salesman. Take a moment and listen to their story, it might just make your day.

On Sabbatical to get Radical

Pastor Ed (TOGL)

A Time Of Refreshing

This week I am beginning my first ever Sabbatical. I am so blessed to have those in leadership around me who see the importance of this time away. 23 years of ministry have gone by pretty quick, as I know this time away will also, but I am looking forward to laying each day out before my Father and just saying whatever your will that is what I will do.

I have contemplated this time for a long while. Asking myself often what how I thought I would feel during this time away from the people I love and enjoy pastoring. I will say that I find myself a little nervous, not for the direction of the church or those left to serve, but because I know I will find myself wanting to drop by and say hello. I know for this to be productive for both me and the church I must find that temptation and find ways to rest.

So over the next 3 months I will be doing a little traveling. I am headed to Ohio, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, and Florida. I am also going to be in Honduras and Nicaragua to be apart of a crusade in those to countries. I am also looking forward to spending some much needed time with my family. They truly are my first call in ministry.

I hope every person who reads this blog will also find the time to be still, to steal away to a quiet place and enter into His sabbath rest. Remember Sabbath was made for man not the other way around.

So now as the adventure begins please feel free to drop by anytime and check out the blog. See where God is taking me and also feel free to pray for me. I can always use prayer. May the refreshing begin.

Are You Ready To Rumble?

Today I am sitting in Morehead Kentucky preparing for the State General Assembly. The first one I have attended since moving back. I could state many reasons why I have not attended, but it will still come down to my lack of understanding of or wanting to participate in church politics.

How many people do you know that go to a hockey match to watch hockey? Aren't they secretly wanting a fight to break out. Or how many go to a Nascar event not hoping for a wreck, not that the wreck will hurt anyone, but will stir up the pot a little. That is how I feel coming to meetings like this.

In a place where we are suppose to be coming together to seek unity, not uniformity, it seems that some come looking for a fight or a wreck to happen. Is this really what we are called too? Aren't we called to look for every possible way to avoid a fight or a wreck? Are we not called to live at peace as much as it depends upon us? Are we not called to show that we are disciples by our love for one another?

I have often heard the statement made by those who were once in ministry, " I have gotten out of ministry so that I could be in ministry." They were tired of the fights and wrecks.

So I sit here wandering which should I do, go and sit and watch grown men and women wait in anticipation of a wreck or a fight or stay in my room and watch a Nascar race or a hockey match?