7 Milestones You Should Celebrate

 

It was 7 years ago today....Monday, September 11, 2017, that I walked through the front door at First Baptist Burleson to start my new (GOD) sized adventure. It was God sized because its not every day you wait 365 days for God to move in your life. That's exactly why I chose the new start date when offered the new position. Of course when looking back on that year long sabbatical, God was moving all around me teaching me, molding me, changing me, and strategically placing people in my path that would lead me to where I came on this day 7 years ago. (GOD)

That year long sabbatical came to a close with a phone call, out of the blue, from someone I did not know or had ever met. Christopher Cass was the Executive Pastor at First Baptist Burleson who called me at home one Thursday morning telling me that my name was given to him by three different people to call about a position at his church. (GOD). The following Sunday Becky and I attended worship services at the church which was 4 hours from where we were living. Everything about our visit was confirming this was the place God had picked out for us. (GOD).  I was offered the position and within a week or so I was in my new office with a window overlooking Burleson, Texas. Seven years later I am now known as the fastest hire ever made there. (GOD). Within weeks we found an amazing home of our dreams that we both fell in love with and moved in a couple months later. (GOD) There was a white silk glove laying on my office desk that day I started and when I slipped it on, it fit perfectly. (GOD) 

This will give you goosbumps! Prior to the phone call I had asked Becky if we could move anywhere, where would she want to be. She responded with the Fort Worth area. At the time all three of our adult children were within an hour of Fort Worth. When I asked Christopher on the phone call that day where his church was located, he responded Burleson, Texas just a few minutes south of....Fort Worth. (GOD)

Another milestone was created in my life that needs to be and has been celebrated ever since. Today, September 11, 2024  marks that milestone for me at First Baptist Burleson. I'm a firm believer in celebrations so, allow me to share mine.

Birthdays - I celebrate my birthday all month long each year. This year is my lucky number 7 as I slide into 70 years 

Wedding Anniversaries - this December I get to celebrate 48 years with the same wife. She is  amazing!

Children - I am blessed and get to celebrate three adult children that are amazing and fill my life with fun and great childhood memories as they grew up.

NGD - that's when I get to buy a new guitar. I am bless to have a wife that encourages my addition to playing, buying, and selling guitars. Last count - 16

Friends for Life - I got to graduate from high school with the same people I went to elementary school with. This October I get to celebrate my birthday with my best friend since 5th grade.

Faith - I get to celebrate, every day, the day I placed my faith in Christ in 1981 in the living room of my home along with Becky at the same time.

Work - I get to celebrate every year where God places me to serve Him. 

"Always celebrate when you can, and celebrate for as long as you can". Rick Cadden

 

What about you? What do you celebrate? Comments?

DREAM BIG

 

The first day of the new year is the perfect day to dream big. I’m not talking about New Year resolutions that most people don’t follow through with anyway. Ask yourself this question; what do I need to change, add, or delete in my life? If you’re like me, you could probably come up with a list of things, but as you make your list, be on the lookout for one that’s BIG. 

 

Which one stands out the most to you? Which one have you always wanted to do but haven’t? Which one would be awesome, but seems way too big for you? That’s the big dream!

Big dreams are the ones that seem so big they are impossible to accomplish. They are bigger than you and even your friends and family would roll their eyes if you told them your dream. 

The movie A Million Miles Away portrays the true story of Jose Hernandez who as a kid dreamed of being an astronaut. He was the son of a migrant who worked in California and didn’t learn to speak English until he was 12. Long story short he studied long and hard and became an engineer and then applied to NASA 11 times before he was accepted and joined the crew on the STS 28 NASA flight to space. 

 

To dream big goes beyond contentment. You may look at your list and be content with just making a few changes in your life. Or you may be thinking I'm too old to dream big now. 

 

Colonel Harland Sanders was 63 years old when he franchised his secret recipe for fried chicken becoming known as Kentucky Fried Chicken 

However, contentment doesn’t build big dreams! Don’t hear me say that contentment is a bad thing. It’s not! Think about people who are always complaining about what they don’t have or what they can’t do but never make a change. If they were just content with what they did have or can do, they would be much better off. Right? I’m just saying that dreaming big is, well, something you may be missing out on. 

 

There is non-contentment, contentment, and dreamers. It’s interesting to me that the first one is being unsatisfied, the second one is being satisfied, and the third one is being unsatisfied again!

Back to your list… you're going to make one, aren’t you? Start with something new and different. What would you change, add, or delete in your life that will make it better to improve your life? If there is a big dream in there somewhere then go for it. Write your list down, take action, and get started!

 

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No Regrets Here

Some work the same job for 30 years and retire. Some pastors preach at the same church for 30 years and retire. There is nothing wrong at all with that and to me would be awesome. However, that was not God’s plan for me. I started my first job in a family-owned business in 1970 at the age of 16 and made a career in selling auto parts for the next 25 years with my dad. Little did I know back then God had a different plan. I started my first full-time ministry position in 1995 and have been serving for 26 years. In my 51 years of work, I have been terminated 2 times; both were churches with young pastors in their first pastorate. There is a pattern there I believe.There were never any accusations other than standing for what I believe is right. After the last termination, I debated in my mind and heart if I should stay in the ministry. Maybe I should have stayed selling auto parts. Is God through with me? However, that was not God’s plan.

In my 26 years of ministry and the five churches I served, lifelong relationships were made with people I am still friends with today. Each church was different but the relationship building was the same. If you look through all my Facebook friends today, you will find friends from each church. Some more than others. I thank God almighty for each opportunity to serve him and make friends along the way. God had a plan for me my entire life. Even though I had to endure two terminations in my ministry, I regret nothing. Had God not placed me in any of those churches, I would never have met so many incredible people. I hate to think what I would have missed in making friends for life at those churches.

Five years ago, God provided a year-long sabbatical for me to heal and for him to teach me his infinite love. In that time I met the most amazing church staff who wrapped their arms around Becky and I and loved us like no other. I was privileged to serve on staff there for a short time with amazing people. Had I not been on that sabbatical I would have never met them. I hate to think I would have missed that. My dream my whole life is that I would end well and during my ministry years that I would end well for Jesus, especially as I got older and on the tail end of life. It looked dim and dark at times. However, God had a plan for me.

Today I celebrate another 4 years of ministry that boosted me to the 26 years. Four years ago today, out of nowhere, in just the right moment in time, a total stranger made a phone call to me. Calling with references from 3 of my friends, (see there!), he was looking for his next staff member. The rest of the story is about pure joy serving on one of the best staff I could ever imagine. God has placed me in just the right church at just the right time, again. Should I have stayed selling auto parts my whole life? Heck no! Should I have quit the ministry after 2 terminations? Heck no! No Regrets here.

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Back in the Saddle (part 2)

Two years ago, I received a phone call. The caller said he and several others in their search was given my name from colleagues that I was looking for a staff position. We talked for over an hour and that weekend, Becky and I were at First Baptist Burleson to check out the church. Our visit was filled with divine intervention and we both left that day in awe. In awe that God would lead us to such an incredible church. After a dry 12 months, doubting, questioning, seeking, and trying to figure out what God was doing with me, we fell in love with First Burleson. 

Upon arrival to the church as visitors we were greeted at the door and escorting all around the church as visitors. Within minutes of being seated in worship, we ran into friends from our home church back in the 80’s. The pastor greeted us, the Executive Pastor greeted us, and members greeted us. We were asked if we were in a Life group yet, smiled at, greeted over and over, making us feel like this was home. Several weeks later, I was on staff with an office. My first day was exactly one year from the day I left my previous church. That was intentional on my part to be able to just pick right up where I left off serving God. There is a book worth of things that happened during the previous 12 months giving testimony in hindsight of how God works on our behalf without us even knowing it.

My ministry life emulates the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. His story, like mine, depicts the sovereignty of God. His perfect providence is just one illustration that God IS in control. To say that I never doubted God or never felt his presence during this life adventure would be a lie. I doubted and felt alone many times. To say that I didn’t trust and seek him would also be a lie. Like Joseph during his tragic life events one after another, I trusted and believed that God would restore me to His service. That day came with a phone call from God one late afternoon in August. God prompted the call, ordained the call, and made sure the timing was exactly perfect for me.

Like Joseph, even when others hurt us and life seems unfair and difficult, we can triumphantly declare with Joseph, “As far you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.” Gen 50:20

Today I celebrate, to the day, two years of service at First Burleson. Every day has been full of joy, peace, fun, thanksgiving, mercy, love, care, and that feeling of I can’t wait to get to work. It would be another book to write of things that have happened over the past two years that would prove the existence of God almighty working in my life. We are exactly where God wants us at this moment in time and hopefully for many years to come.

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Mama Said There Would Be days Like This

Have you ever had a day when nothing seemed to go right or your way? Bills are piling up; the car needs repairs and you feel like nothing good is going your way. It goes right along to the words of the song, “Mama told me there would days like this”! There was a time in my life that I didn’t think I would make it through another day without streaming from so much stress and anxiety. I felt I just could not get ahead in life. When our three kids were small, I was self employed trying to get a new business start off the ground. I worked almost 7 days a week with long hot days. We lived in a small rent house where the air conditioning barley cooled the house, no fenced yard and a dog, and purple carpet to boot. I drove a small Chevy truck with standard transmission and drove all over Dallas and Forth Worth all day in traffic. One day I counted how many times I shifted; it was almost five hundred. I must admit there were days that I could just not find anything to be thankful for and ended up miserable and the constant complainer about life. Do any of your days feel like this?

Our human tendency is to compare ourselves with those around us just to prove how bad we have it. Why do others have it so much better than me? We think there is this high standard of living that we should all have and enjoy. Yet, many times we fall short. I remember my youngest son asking me one day, “Dad, are we poor”? After some thought, I responded to his inquisitive question, it all depends on who you are comparing us to. If you compare us to the president of the United States, then yes, we may look poor. If you compare us to a homeless person then we look rich.

The key is giving thanks to whom it belongs and for all the blessings you already have. In Psalm 9.1 the writer states, “I will give thanks to you, o Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds”. It is not hard to find thankfulness in the Bible. Try reading any book of Psalms and you will hear the words give thanks. It is not about you anyway, it is all about the Lord working in your life all around you. The challenge is we get so tied up in ourselves and why things are not going right, that we forget our heavenly father is there waiting to hear the words, thank you.

Trust me, the best way I have found to combat those days when I feel like nothing is going my way and everything is pilling up on my shoulders, is to stop, look around, and see his blessings. Count your blessings and what you do have and what is going your way, instead of the opposite. Sometimes I find a quiet chair in the house and just sit and look around. I begin seeing things to be thankful for and begin seeing things that are good. Thank you, Lord, for this house, the furniture we have, air conditioning, running water, electricity, the car in the garage, the roof over my head, the clothes in my closet, the money in my wallet, the beautiful day outside, my church, my friends, my job, health, my wife,  my family, the dog, and on and on. I see it all so clearly now that I am thankful. I begin asking why do I deserve all this? Why am I so blessed? 

My best days at home, at work and at church on Sundays is when I find myself saying “thank you” to people. Saying and hearing those words every chance I get all day, keeps away my stress and anxiety. You see, worship begins with thank you! Thank you, Lord.

Comments! 

Never Fatherless

I turned 16 years old in October 1970. I was a sophomore in high school in Corpus Christi, Texas and the day I got my license my dad put me to work in the family auto parts business. I worked for my dad for eleven years until he sold the family business and retired. He taught me business sense, extraordinary customer service, and marketing during those years. My dad was very well known in the automotive parts world and ran a great business for 20 plus years. After he retired, we all moved to Arlington, Texas where I opened a wholesale auto parts warehouse. Business was booming and I soon needed his help. Now after eleven years working for dad, he went to work for me. We worked together side by side for another five years until I eventually sold my company. Dad reluctantly retired, again. In May of 2000 I lost my mom to a heart attack and in August that same year, I lost my dad to old age. Both left earth within months of each other to be with Jesus for eternity. Y2K turned out to be nothing but the year 2000 was as storm for my family and I, losing both our parents. 

In February of 2000, just before losing my mom and dad, I joined a staff at a church in Fort Worth. The Senior Adult Minister was Bob Taylor. The moment I first stepped into his office to meet him, we prayed together. That started a lifetime friendship. For seven years Bob and I served God together making hospital visits and eating breakfast every week. Bob prays about everything. Phil 4.6. He had three grown sons of his own yet took me in like a son. During our friendship, Bob has lost two sons and his wife. He is my mentor, father figure, and prayer warrior here on earth. I know that one day I will lose Bob too.

But I will never be fatherless

In Deuteronomy chapter 31 Moses is speaking to the people telling them he is 120 years old and can no longer lead them. In verse 6 he assures them that in his absence God will never leave them nor forsake them. They will not be a fatherless people. Then in Hebrews chapter 13 Paul is giving his final words in his letter and in verse 5 he reminds them what God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" assuring the reader that even in his absence, God will be with them.

No matter if we have lost our earthy fathers or father figure, Psalm 68:5, as a Christ follower we will never be fatherless. We will always have Abba Father who will never leave us. That is a truth grounded in the Word of God that we can depend on every day of our earthy life as Christians. Take joy as we approach Fathers Day and make the time to spend with your earthly father to love and honor him and thank him for being a great dad. If you are like me and have lost your earthy father, remember you are not fatherless. If you have never trusted Christ with your life nor believe that he died on the cross for your sins and was raised again and is alive, take a few minutes to pray and ask for his forgiveness and believe.