vision

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today’s special Mother’s Day for me, as I will get to spend it with the three significant mothers in my life; my mom, my wife, and my mother-in-law.

In the midst of that it’s natural to think about what God accomplishes in our lives through our mothers. But it’s also impossible to ignore the pain that mothers feel through the difficulties their children face.

I was reading recently of St. Augustine, one of the greatest theologians in the early Christian church. Although he spent most of his adult life as a devout Christ follower, he did not start out that way.

Augustine had been raised by a Christian mother, and yet in his late teens he intentionally turned his back on her Christian faith and lived an immoral life.

Finally, at age 32, he turned to Christ and trusted in him for his salvation. The story of his dramatic conversion still serves as an excellent example of how God can reach into a life of someone who has no interest in Him.

After this dramatic rebirth, Augustine began to see the connection between who God was making him, and what his mother had taught him when he was a child. He would later say that her perseverance had taught him “to know God’s handwriting from the Scriptures.”

Augustine did not learn theology from his mother. Instead, through her patient nurture, she taught him to recognize the God whom he would later come to love and serve with passion.

Augustine’s passion serves as a burning example to us. And through the passion of his personal relationship with God, he would help introduce that God to generations of Christians who would follow.

And all of that started with his mother’s touch in his early life.

This week I am going to Washington, D.C. with a very excited group of sixth-graders from Salem Christian Academy. Even though the trip cost quite a bit of money for Spencer (my 12-year old son) and me, and the trip involves miles & miles of walking and the week includes two overnight bus rides…I am so fired up about visiting our nation’s capital.

I know, I know. The United States of America is not necessarily in the best of shape right now. Economic problems. Crippling debt. Tons of unemployment. Crumbling morals and values. And so on. But even if the good ‘ol USA isn’t what it used to be…it still is (in my opinion) the best country in the world. And we have our Founding Fathers to thank for that. It is astounding to read about the incredible wisdom and foresight it took for them to set up our government and to enact the freedoms we have…including the all-important freedom of religion. And so much of the foundations for this country were firmly rooted in Biblical principles, no matter what you may have heard elsewhere.

So, I am looking forward to seeing much of Washington, D.C. this week. The monuments, the museums, the memorials…all packed in just a few short days. While you are back here at home, take a few moments to visit a website that is designed “to present America’s forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on the moral, religious, and constitutional foundation on which America was built”.

In meantime, I hope you will join me…even in the midst of our current problems… to say “God Bless America”.  I’m sure I will be thinking it, if not saying it, a lot during my visit to D.C.

“I concur…in considering the moral precepts of Jesus as more pure, correct, and sublime than those of ancient philosophers.”    Thomas Jefferson – April 19, 1803

~ by Pastor Darrel

Have you ever driven to or from work or somewhere real familiar and not really remembered the trip? You think to yourself… “did I stop at that stoplight? gosh, how fast was I going?” you just don’t really remember details about the trip because you have become so familiar with it. You were on autopilot.

I think as Christians we also have an autopilot for our faith journey. When we’re not really paying attention it gets turned on and boom we’re just going through the motions. Young, old, pastors, super-servants I’ve seen it happen to believers of all ages and walks. We get on autopilot and we miss all or part of the journey.

This past weekend Pastor Darrel talked about “capturing every thought” so that we can stop “wrong thoughts”. I think we also need to remember to actually have thoughts . When we are on autopilot we forget to think about God, Jesus and others. We forget to look around and see God at work. We forget to admire and appreciate what He has given us right here right now and that leads to forgetting what He gave us in His Son Jesus. And, if we start to forget or ignore that we’ll miss the best part of the trip. But more importantly, so might those around us by not seeing it acted out in our lives.

So, how do we turn off the autopilot? Paul said in Colossians 1:28-29 “ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.”

We need to see Him all around us so that we can project Him to others. We need to walk firm and strong in our faith in Jesus Christ so that others see Him not just “some person that goes to church”. And, we need to do it “…with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” 

Nobody can defeat that kind of strength. The next time you find yourself drifting into autopilot, find someone and tell them how Jesus has affected your life, disengage that autopilot and re-engage with HIM.

In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.
Psalm 25:1

Have you ever used the term, “white knuckle ride”?  Have you ever been on a white knuckle ride?
The ride that comes to my mind is the first time I rode a roller coaster.
I watched the ride from afar, memorizing every hill, every dip, every loop. I got closer and watched people enter and exit the ride in droves. I got in line and watched the excited, apprehensive faces get in the cars and clack-clack-clack away. I saw the riders return, exhilirated, laughing, thrilled – well, most of them.
Finally, it was my turn.
I sat in the car and the retaining bar came down. It seemed to me that it didn’t come down far enough. It seemed to me that the bar should be pressing me into my seat, even to the point of discomfort. I complained to the boy checking the carts that my bar did not close. “Nope. It’s closed. You’re good to go.” I said nothing, but in my head, I vehemently disagreed, certain that I was anything but good to go.
Everyone in the connecting cars was jabbering excitedly. I was a little annoyed that they found this such a casual thing. I wondered if they realized the hazards that we just willfully put ourselves in front of.
Quickly I ran through every excuse I could think of to get out of the car and still maintain some dignity.
I came up empty, and anyway, it was too late.
The car jerked forward and started it’s clack-clack-clack ascent out of the depot and up the first hill.
The hills, dips and loops that I memorized were no good to me. My only thought was that I was about to live my last moments. In my worry, I didn’t realize we were cresting the first hill.
I looked down. That was a mistake. Why in the world would they make this so high? And down the first hill we went.
As gravity took control of the car, I screamed. Long and loud. I made noises that until that point in time, I would have doubted I could even make.
For the two minutes it took to get through the ride, I held on to the bar. Nearly everyone else had their hands in the air.

Not me. I looked at my hands at one point and noticed that my knuckles were actually white. I also noticed that I was gripping the bar so hard, that I was lifting myself out of my seat.

In my fear, my actions were doing more harm than good.
Because I couldn’t let go, I was less firmly seated than those around me with their hands in the air.
Holding on was a mistake, but I couldn’t let go.
By the time I got out of the car, I was exhausted. My arms were useless bands of rubber for an hour afterward.

Spiritually, I find myself reenacting my first rollercoaster ride over and over. I know that I should let go, but there are times that I can’t stop myself from holding the bar, to the point of putting myself in danger.
In my fear, I will exhaust myself, holding on to what I don’t have, even when those around me can throw their hands in the air and enjoy the ride.
I have moments, opportunities to examine whether I’m holding on to my own ability or if I’m simply trusting God. When I see a penny- on the floor, in the bottom of the washer, anywhere in my day- I stop and make myself read the words “In God We Trust”. When I read those words, I remind myself to loosen my grip and trust that the Great Engineer has built this roller coaster I’m on. The hills, dips and loops are part of His blueprint, and I only need to raise my hands and take in the thrills and surprises along the way until He pulls my car back into the Depot.

-Jeanne Roberts

Can you remember when you gave your life to Christ?  Unfortunately, for me, there are moments in time when it isn’t “top of mind”.  It is sad that there are times that I, quite frankly, take my salvation for granted.  I need to remind myself of the amazing grace that comes from Jesus Christ.

I also can sometimes forget the people who played a large role in me coming to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior way back when.  The truth is that if you are a Christ-follower today, someone helped show you the way.

This weekend is Easter Weekend at the Ridge and around the world.  This weekend can be the biggest weekend of someone’s life.  You can play a huge role in a friend or family member’s life if you are willing to simply invite them to church.  Recent research indicates that as many as 82% of people would come to church if they were just asked.

Now you might be a little fearful.  But what’s the worst thing that could happen to you?  Maybe they say no.  But maybe they say yes.  And maybe they end up giving their life to Jesus Christ this weekend.

What an incredible way to celebrate Easter!  Think of someone today that you can invite to the Ridge this weekend.  Make sure you tell your friend or co-worker that you will meet them there.  Pray for that person and then wait to see what God will do.

You could be THAT person showing someone the Truth. You could be THAT person helping someone meet Jesus this weekend at the Ridge…so their live could be changed forever!

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.  Job 11:18

Recently, I started a new job. This has been a blessing for me, as my travel schedule kept me away from home for the majority of each month.

One of the places I went to often was a facility in Georgia. While “on the road”, it was very common to work 14+ hours a day, trying to meet the ever-looming deadlines that stalked me.

Every day at 5 p.m., the night security guard would come in.

Miss Betty.

Miss Betty is in her 50′s, and always has her hair done perfectly, her makeup applied carefully, and finishes her look off with a big, genuine smile on her face.

Every day, Miss Betty would come into the conference room that had become my office / lab / command central. She would ask me how I was doing, ask me if I had eaten, and let me know that she had just made a fresh pot of coffee if I’d like to “have a sip of somethin’” then she would go make her rounds through the plant and parking lots.

When I would finally leave for the night, I always made it a point to say good night to Miss Betty, because that’s what you’re supposed to do, let the security guard know when you’re coming and going.
But really, I sought out Miss Betty just so I could see a real smile before I ended my day. She would always talk to me for a minute or two, ask me how my day went, talk about the weather, “Is it cold up North now? Oh but I bet it’s beautiful!” and every day, without fail, she would tell me, “But you know what though? We gon’ make it. Yes we are. We gon’ be all-right.”

And when she would say that to me, I would believe it.
No matter how grueling my day was, I was able to walk out of the plant with a smile on my face.

Once, I took a new employee with me to Georgia. After meeting Miss Betty the first evening, she said to me, “That’s the security guard? What is she going to do if someone comes charging in?” We decided that Miss Betty would sit him down with some fresh coffee and have him knitting an afghan by the end of the night, with a smile on his face and a song in his heart.

Miss Betty and I had many short conversations. I never did get to sit down and have a sip of coffee with her, I always thought I’d do it tomorrow, or the next trip. We talked about God’s plan once, and when she spoke of her faith, she glowed.
She knows where she’s going when He takes her home. That’s how she knows we gon’ make it, we gon’ be alright. I think about Miss Betty and her faith often.

I am so thankful that our paths crossed. So often, since our first conversation, when my vision is muddy, one of my reassurances is the thought of her deep voice with the Southern twang reminding me, “You know what
though? We gon’ make it. We gon’ be all-right.”

Yes we are, Miss Betty, We gon’ be ok.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminders you send me daily through your daughters and sons, that no matter what we face, You are with us.

Jeanne Roberts

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  -1Peter3:1-2