Christmas! Is it worth fighting for?

I have heard and seen a constant battle over the words Christmas being used this time of year. I think it is ridiculous that Christians are so rapped up in a word. In stead we should be rapped up in the WORD. We should be proclaiming the Gospel to ourselves and others. The day we observe the birth of Christ has more of a pagan tradition then a accurate date of birth. Also, I continue to hear that our rights as Christians in America are being taken away. The America of today is not the America of our forefathers. The America of our forefathers was one that had religious freedom- if you believed the way the area you lived in believed- ask Roger Williams. Of the three early English American colonies, only one was founded for religious purposes and that was Plymouth where the Puritans settled, but they were far from tolerant. Georgia was a debtors colony and Virginia was a economic experiment which eventually brought about the cash crop tabacco. The America today is not an English only America- it is a people of so many cultures which encompass different religions and languages. How do we as Christians deal with these multiple issues? I think that is the question. We are to look at it as a people whose home is not here and whose kingdom is not of this world. The U.S. will pass away but the Kingdom of God will never pass away. The word Christmas will pass away as we experience a home in heaven that will to most peoples surprise not speak English. The Word will not pass away. As we constantly fight over education practices, movies like Harry Potter, Golden Compass, and DiVinci Code, and the use of the word Christmas we forget that we are commissioned to proclaim the Gospel. If we focus our efforts on training up laborers for the harvest field and going into the world to evangelize then we will not look at the things which matter not and will pass away. Atheists and Agnostics don't need the right words for the Holidays they need the words of salvation. They need to see the Grace, Mercy, and Love of the Father because if the don't get that the will experience the Wrath, Justice, and Destruction of God. We bring the Word which in itself is a stumbling block, we don't have to add to it by our self righteousness and ignorance. Let us come together and show and share Jesus with our neighbors and friends. Penetrate your culture and love others and love the brothers and sisters. If you love one another then they will know you are my disciples. May all believers have a Merry Christmas and may the common grace of God allow nonbelievers to have a great Christmas even though they do not know the price that was paid for them to have that wonderful morning.

8 YEARS

On Tuesday Dec. 18th Ginger and I will be married 8 years. As I look back on those 8 years I praise the Lord for His provision. He has provided me a wonderful wife and teammate. I am so excited about working with her in ministry in England like we did in Fairhope and Decatur. I have had the priviledge of watching her grow in her relationship with Christ and enjoy seeing her minister in a variety of ways to me and those in the church. When we first met she was not inclined to desire a life of service in another country. God has truly worked in her heart and it is exciting to see her compassion for the people of England continue to grow. As we begin the support raising season of our ministry and life (which will probably continue until we see Jesus) it is encouraging to have Ginger there with me. As we embark on the rest of our lives together I am persuaded that they will be just as satisfying because our focus is on the Lord and not our on agendas in this relationship. May I be the leader that Ginger needs, one who points her to Christ continually. He will be her strength and portion forever. I thank the Lord for the women he has given for me to spend my life with.

Blog Title Change

I have began to blog again. It has been awhile and a great deal has been going own. I have changed the name of my blog because I am continually being shown that I have a lack of faith. You might ask, faith in what? I resemble the man in the book of Mark in the Holy Scriptures when he tells Christ that he believes but "help me with my unbelief." As my family continues along this journey into missions and begin raising support I see that our God is large. I also see my wife and children growing in their understanding of God and the gift he so freely gave. I marvel at the fact that we serve a God that works through us as broken vessels. The Lord has shown me that every thing that I am, love, possess, and desire is His. This process is ongoing and I continually see Him stripping away my idols. I look at my children- they are God's. That has been something that has truly been tough. I see how I desire to protect them from the world and all it has to offer. In reality my attempt to protect is hindering their opportunity to see God work through things in their lives just as He did and continues to do in my life. I look back at my life growing up and see the hand of God all over the place. I can look back and say "God you were in control of my life from birth." How can I say He want be in control of my kids lives. I can and do because I don't believe. It is the constant struggle. It is what I continually war with. The same goes for my wife. She desires stability, so we live a life of transition. Go Figure!

"He is no fool who gives up what he can't keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Jim Elliot

Scotland The Brave

Today we spent the day in the city of Dundee which is the 4th largest city in Scotland. The Scots are a lovely people who are very patriotic towards Scotland. This morning we spent time speaking with the intern at St. Peter's Free Church. His name is Brian and he is from Northern Ireland. It was a joy to talk with him about the history of the Celtic Church and the state of the church and society in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Those two areas have a deep history between them and have a great deal of influence on the American South. From lunch until about 4:30 we walked through the city center of Dundee, it is an old city that has a great deal of church history. We were able to see McCheyne's pulpit and grave. I also received a free book written by David Robertson on the life of Robert Murray McCheyne. They supposively have his Bible in the church locked up. David said that hundreds of people travel to Dundee and St. Peter's Church each year almost like a pilgrimage. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here and the people have been so wonderful. We do miss our babies and look forward to seeing them. My step father Brian has been very sick while we are away and do desire to see him. The Lord is so good, last night we were able to hear Psalms sung in accapella and hear the Gaelic language spoken fluently. We are truly desiring clarity on where God would have us to be. We are thoroughly convinced that God in his infinite wisdom is going to place us in a place where He will be most glorified. The joy of our salvation and the fellowship of the saints is so beautiful. We praise the Lord for the work He is doing in the UK. In the midst of so many dead Presbyterian churches He is raising up a new generation that is strong in the Lord and determined to see Him glorified. To God be the Glory. We are strangers in a strange land, but one day we will be home. Cheers!

IN THE SHIRE-CHESHIRE THAT IS

We have been in England now 4 days. There are so many things to tell of this beautiful land. We have seen rain and sunshine. We have seen old and new (we went to Chester and walked along the old Roman walls and went into Manchester and enjoyed sometime in the Trafford Center which is one of the largest malls in Europe). But there is something that we have seen that is nothing new- people and there need for Christ. The church here is in complete disarray. The people we have been with are embarking on a journey that will be both tough and rewarding for the Kingdom. We are staying with Roy and Ruth Kunar- they are some of the most wonderful people we have ever met. The church that they have helped start is doing great things, but they need more laborers. The society in England has gone through rapid decay. The family unit is seeing continual trouble. Divorce and teen pregnancy is unbelievable. The light of the Gospel is needed. We have found this place extremely exciting and have a great deal of areas we can fit in on this team. Today is our last full day in Culcheth, tomorrow we will be going to Scotland to visit the believers of St. Peters Free Church. Tonight we are spending some time with a couple in Grace Fellowship, the church in Culcheth, to discuss opportunities to get into the community sports club and discuss the school system. Continue to pray for us as we are away from our young ones and as we process through all the information we have received. We are encouraged by what God is doing here and His faithfulness to His people. The need in the UK is great, we must not forget Europe and the land of our fathers.

Reconciliation

Cullen turned 5 on July 31st. It was a great day and we had a large amount of people at our house. The highlight of the day, other than Cullen receiving FIFA 2007 soccer for the X-Box, was the fact that for the first time in a very long time I had my grandparents at a family function at the same time as my mother. My parents got a divorce when I was 2 and I would visit my dad and his side of the family a couple times a year. Throughout the years, especially the last 2, a great deal of reconciliation has taken place. Mainly with me and the way I have viewed my dad and my grandparents. It is wonderful to be able to say that I forgive them and love them very much. I am so thankful to the Lord for taking out my bitter and hateful heart. I used to struggle with expectations of how it should have been and should be, but I have learned that it is important to enjoy what you do have and see where it goes. To God be the glory for the redemption of this sinner and of relationships. He is a good King.

He is FAITHFUL

Our God is so faithful! We have been preparing to go to the U.K. to visit Scotland and England. We are flying out of Atlanta on Fri. Aug. 17th and will spend several days in both places investigating the opportunities at moving there. We have been raising some money to go and God has provided every bit. It is so awesome to see our great God in action. God has continually been faithful through the whole process of pursuing a life of foreign missions. We have had good times and bad times. The most important thing is that through it all God has given us the grace to overcome and handle things as the happen. We continually see how small we are and how large and majestic the glory of God is. A life of service to our Lord is one that personifies humility. My prayer is that He gives my family and I the strength and mercy to continue. He is the author and finisher of our faith, I forget that a lot. I am so apt to be discouraged at what the world throws at us and deal with it through the view of past theology that is wrong. It is wonderful to know that we are a workmanship of the Almighty God of the universe.
We can take great joy in His love for us and His dedication to see His name glorified throughout the world. I know that each day we awake to to new mercies, but we also awake to new faithfulness- at least new to us. May Gods faithfulness be a light to the lost world and a beacon of His glory.