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Devotion: Wesley’s Three General Rules

Dear Friends,

We have come to the end of our Deeply Rooted sermon series together. We have studied what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and one that is Wesleyan. We split off into Connect Groups and Sunday School Classes and Bible studies and went deeper in the three points of Discipleship which are:

  1. To Be with Jesus
  2. To Be Like Jesus
  3. And to Do as Jesus Did

I wanted to end our series with a devotion that summarized what we have learned and then end with Wesley’s Three General Rules. I have found these Three General Rules helpful as I navigate this complex world we live in as we try and live out our Wesleyan faith.

When we began the series in August, we shared that discipleship is more like apprenticeship because we are learning from the Master and we aren’t there yet. In order to learn this, we must spend time with the Master and abide in the vine if we are to bear fruit. In order to really have our lives transformed by Jesus, we have to adopt spiritual practices that go beyond the two hours of worship and study, once a week. As we abide in Christ, we become more like Jesus not in our own strength or grit, but because of the work of the Holy Spirit working through us. And it doesn’t happen alone; we need each other and we need the diversity of each other to challenge, grow and sustain our community of faith. The following week we studied how to become people that do as Jesus did when we are open to being used by the Holy Spirit to go out and share the Gospel. With the Gospel being Good News that brings great JOY, it is a message lived out in our attitudes, priorities and relationships. But speaking of relationships, sometimes it is really hard to be a person of faith when there is so much hatred and fear and division right now. Rev. Gary Mason from Northern Ireland shared about how to put the Kingdom of God first above Nationality, citizenship or political party, because as members of God’s Kingdom, we lead with this identity first and foremost.

As we moved on in our Deeply Rooted Sermon series, we talked next about how we are or how we are becoming Wesleyan disciples. We learned a lot about John Wesley and the early Methodists. We learned about their radical message, their fearless evangelism, their deep care and conviction for the poor, marginalized and immigrants. We learned how they loved God with their minds by teaching the poorest coal miners to read, how they loved God with their hearts by worshipping daily and participating in Communion as often as possible and how they went deep in their accountability in community by loving God with their souls.

Friends, we come from a rich history and we come from a community of faith that has been transforming lives from the very beginning of its movement. I heard this last week a quote from pastor and teacher, Tim Ward who came and spoke about Church Vitality to our Clergy here in the east Central District. He said, “We (Wesleyans) have a grace-filled theology that the world so desperately wants to hear and needs to know now more than ever.” And he is right. Now more than ever, we have a focus on God’s transforming grace and love for ALL people and the world needs to hear it, believe it and embody it in their transformed lives.

I want to end with John Wesley’s Three General Rules. Remember when Jesus was approached by the Pharisees and Sadducees asking what the Greatest Commandment was (Matthew 22:34-40)? Jesus summarized all of the Laws with this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.”  Said another way, we summarize what it means to be a Wesleyan Disciple with these three general rules, they seem simple, but they are not. They will transform the way you speak, the way you work, you spend your money, you spend your time and they are a litmus test for a Deeply Rooted faith.

  1. Do No Harm
  2. Do Good
  3. Stay in Love with God

As you ponder these general rules and how they might be lived out in your life, I invite you to end your time with this Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition.

I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you, Praised for you or criticized for you. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service. And now, O wonderful and holy God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, you are mine, and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, Let it also be made in heaven.

AMEN

Devotion: Wesley Study Tour (Part 3)

Finishing well, this is one of the main themes I picked up on in England as we toured the places where Wesley spent the last few years of his life. We ended our tour in London and we worshipped in Wesley’s Chapel where we sang, prayed, learned and celebrated Holy Communion. We also got a tour of his final home and saw where both he and his mother were buried.

Wesley’s Chapel and Leysian Mission is a place of vibrant and diverse worship, they are engaged in justice work in the community, international and evening prayer services, lunchtime recitals, activities for children and of course their robust Museum of Methodism in the basement.  The heritage of this church began in 1778 and is still an active church today. John Wesley built his home right next to the Church, which is four stories and was used to house visiting preachers and was the final home of his mother, Suzanna. In the winters, he stayed in London and preached but in the summer and fall, when the weather was compatible, he spent many days out on his horse riding from town to town, county to county preaching the Gospel to whomever would listen. John Wesley died in 1791 at the age of 87 years old, which was an extremely well lived life that he kept living and fighting for until his final breath.  And since coming back from this trip last month, I have thought a lot about finishing well. You see, we come from a legacy of finishing well and using all of our available time on this side of heaven to run the race well and completely.

I am drawn to the final verse of Charles Wesley’s hymn, Love Divine, All Loves Excelling which says:

Finish then, Thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see Thy great salvation
perfectly restored in Thee.
Changed from glory into glory,
till in heav’n we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before Thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

As you watch the videos below, I want you to be thinking about what God wants to finish and complete in you.  Is there a fight that refuses to let you go, maybe something that frustrates you or keeps you up at night? What does God need to finish in your heart, or relationships, or career, or family, or commitments that would restore God’s salvation in that broken part of life that God has left for uniquely you to do? I can’t answer that for you, but in one of John Wesley’s final letters, he wrote to William Wilberforce, a British politician and follower of Jesus urging him to continue in his fight to abolish the slave trade in Britain, which did end up happening in 1807, but 16 years after Wesley had died. But isn’t this the way things are with lives well lived? We all sit under the shade of the trees we never planted because God is constantly using brothers and sisters who come before us, who are open to a God whose Spirit changes them from glory into glory and finishes in them the work that was already begun. And so I ask you to ponder what kind of tree you will plant, what kind of foundation will you build, and how will you allow the God who began a good work in you long ago to complete it and to finish well?

AMEN

Vlog from Wesley's Chapel

Devotion: Wesley Study Tour (Part 2)

This week I want to take you on a tour of the conversion experience of the Wesley brothers. Conversion, Salvation, Saved, Inviting Jesus into your heart…these words all mean the same thing but how they are understood as people who call themselves Methodists is worth noting. When we are saved, or we have our conversion experience, we have it not because we are trying to avoid what we assume hell will be like, but because in the life we live now, it is hell in the here and now without Jesus. When we are far from God, we experience our own personal hell that Jesus came to eradicate.  

If you grew up a Methodist, no doubt you have heard about the three means of grace.

  1. Prevenient
  2. Justifying
  3. Sanctifying

If you grew up as something other than Methodist, these three graces are distinct in what separates us from other denominations and faith traditions. Prevenient Grace is the gift of God that goes before we even know or can name God. It is the grace lived out for us by our parents, grandparents, neighbors, Sunday School teachers and church leaders. This is why we baptize babies because while they can’t choose Jesus for themselves, YET, they see God’s grace lived out by those that surround them. The hope is that they are so drawn to the life and teachings of Jesus because of how their community lives it out that they come to “choose Jesus for themselves.”

Justifying Grace is the grace that convicts and justifies. This is the grace that lets us know how broken, hurt, sinful and beyond perfection we really are. This is the grace that reaches down and pulls us up because we have realized that no matter how educated, wealthy, well-connected or privileged we are, we cannot save ourselves. The punishment for sin has always and will always be death and because we are all, each of us, sinful beings, we can’t save ourselves. We need a Savior, someone that gives themselves up for us, to justify our sinful selves in the presence of a Holy and Just God. When we realize how far we have fallen, we reach up and God is always there reaching down.

 

Sanctifying Grace is the grace that I think is most distinct about the Wesleyan Way of Faith. Our goal in this life of following Jesus isn’t to be saved from hell, but to become Perfect in Love. We may never be perfect beings, but we can become perfect in our love of God, love of neighbor and love of self. This is the goal and the new rule of life for the disciples of Jesus called Methodists. In our faith community, the phrase, “You haven’t changed a bit” isn’t a compliment. Because if we have really met Jesus, when you see a friend that you haven’t seen in a few years, they should be commenting on how much you have changed. If we have really met Jesus we should be hearing comments like…

You have gotten your anger under control.
I can’t believe how patient you have become.
Wow, you sure are generous.
You are less critical, more disciplined, less petty and a whole lot more LOVING!

These and more are all qualities of someone growing in Sanctifying Grace.

And John and Charles Wesley wrote about this new rule of life extensively after they had their conversion experiences in May of 1738. Charles was the first one converted when he attended a Moravian Society meeting and was processing all that he learned and how they spoke with such joy and conviction about their faith; it amazed him. Charles then invited his brother John to join him and four days later, while walking down Aldersgate Street, John Wesley had his own conversion story.

When you watch the video below you will hear about my own salvation story, the time when I chose God for myself and invited Jesus to chisel away at all of the broken parts of me. As I tell my story and as you see Aldersgate Street in London, where John and Charles had their hearts strangely warmed, I hope you will think about your own faith journey. I leave you with this way of wrapping your mind around conversion. When someone asks you when you were saved, the proper Wesleyan response is this. “I was saved over 2,000 years ago, by Jesus Christ, while he willingly died on a cross, on a hill called Calvary. I accepted that sacrifice when I was ____ years old and now I will never be the same.”

Our salvation story was never about us anyways, it was always about God’s Holy Spirit living and working through sanctifying grace to make other disciples and to transform this world.

Take a look and enjoy the tour!

 

Vlogs from Aldersgate Street

Devotion: Wesley Study Tour (Part 1)

Brothers and Sisters, this Sunday we will hear a sermon from Rev. Gary Mason from Northern Ireland. If you have been listening to the presentations from the past Northern Ireland Pilgrimage groups, you know that we will be talking about things that aren’t always comfortable to sit with. Pay attention to that feeling because that is the Holy Spirit speaking. This Sunday, Gary will be preaching about being a disciple in Challenging Times.

What could be more appropriate?! Are we or are we not living in challenging times and how do we face a divisive future unafraid?

As we prepare our hearts for what Gary might preach and what the Holy Spirit might whisper into our hearts, I thought I would use a piece of my Wesley Study Tour to set the stage. Over the next three weeks, you will receive three devotions with videos connected to them. These videos I recorded in the places that are formidable to our faith. I realize that many of you will never get the opportunity to visit these places in person so let me be your tour guide.

The first few videos (that you see linked below) take you on a tour of Wesley’s New Room in Bristol, England. The videos go on to explain that John and Charles Wesley built this meeting room in 1739 and it was a place of worship, learning, service and rioting. Yes, I said rioting. You will notice in the videos that there are no windows on the first floor. This was strategic. Because in those days, the message that the Wesley’s and their visiting pastors were preaching was a radical one. Radical because they were preaching to the undereducated, the working class, the poor, the tradesmen and the coal miners. They preached about the love of God, not the judgment of God. They preached about the wideness of God’s grace and that anyone could come as they are without fitting a mold or acting pious because Jesus came to save sinners.

This angered those in power, those that wanted to keep the poor, poor and keep the education and power in the hands of the wealthy and ruling classes. There were mobs and riots that took place in Bristol at The New Room because of the preaching and the hospitality of this new movement. There was one door into The New Room, and only one staircase to get to the preacher on the second level, and mobs had tried to come in and shut down their worship services and so the removal of windows on the first floor was for safety of the worshippers and for the removal of distractions for those trying to pay attention inside. Charles and John Wesley hosted worship services every weekday at 5am so that those working in the coal mines and fields could come to worship before starting their workday. They would conclude their hard days labor sometimes by coming back and having Communion at the end of the work day. The New Room could hold 1000 people in the pews and it was not uncommon for the space to be filled.

Please take a few minutes and watch the videos of this holy place and ask yourself how you might be called to afflict the comfort and comfort the afflicted as you live out your faith in these challenging times.

May God’s love enfold you and give you peace. AMEN.

Vlogs from Wesley’s New Room

Devotion: Knock, Knock…

When was the last time you had a good laugh? I’m talking a deep belly laugh that is distracting and hard to muffle. The kind of laugh when your partner looks over at you and wonders if you are okay or has to pause the TV because you are giggling so loudly.

Over the last few weeks, I have laughed more. I just needed to. It began when our kids started watching AFV, America’s Funniest Videos together in the evening. Usually after dinner and bath there is this lull time that could really go either way. Either the kids could play and get all wound up again, or they could slow down, sit down and then comes those magic words that every parent loves to see…settle down. Our kids started watching a few of these episodes with my parents when Ryan and I were away in England and it has continued since we got back.

What I like most about it, is that for these 15 to 20 minutes, all five of us can sit together and laugh. Our kids are now old enough to comprehend, if only a little bit, what is happening on screen. Sure, there are dishes to clean and laundry to fold, but laughter and connection are happening instead and I am the first to tell you that I have to remind myself that this is good. You see, I often move toward the task, the list, the job and save the “fun” for after but lately, I have tried to change my thinking and begin to see the laughter as part of the work.

I don’t have to tell you that we are living in difficult times as we look at a nation divided in the final months of election season, a culture that has moved away from seeking out faith traditions and the busyness of all of our lives that cuts at the core of our family and relationships. And while all of that is true and I am sure you feel it too, we often can’t control what is happening around us, but we can control how we respond. And I encourage you to do two things:

  1. Laugh
  2. And Laugh in Community

I don’t know if Jesus laughed a lot, I picture that he did, however we don’t have a lot of Scriptural proof of that. But if the phrase “Do not fear!” is the command mentioned more than any other phrase in the Bible, I imagine that instead of fear there was laughter. Because following Jesus and being on this adventure with God is a joy, unexpected and challenging yes, but full of abundant joy. God often reminds me to take God seriously and take myself less seriously and when I do that, I laugh more. I look at life as a gift, not a do to list or a burden.

I want to leave you with a short paragraph from 1 Peter, a letter that I admit I haven’t spent much time studying. But I hope as you read it you can see how it says all that I have been feeling lately about letting Jesus bring you joy and laughing more because we are free to not take life so seriously. I hope it speaks a word to you this morning too that encourages you for the week ahead. And if I can encourage anything in your family, in your work, in your relationships…is to laugh more.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9

AMEN

Jobs Partnerships Begins August 29

Jobs Partnership (JP) provides cohort-based job mentoring that empowers people to sustain growth-oriented employment through a Christian framework.

Last fall, we celebrated the graduation of 20 individuals from our program, which involved twelve weeks of classes at our Reeves campus. Our retention rate during this period was the highest among all JP sites. This achievement reflects the dedication of coaches from all three participating churches, who provided invaluable guidance, support, and wisdom to help participants find better job opportunities. The coaches walk hand in hand with the participants through the scripture-based LifeWorks curriculum. In addition to providing coaches, our church provided the Team Lead (Anita Williams) and Head Coach (Dave Olsen).

During the impact brief, the JP representative mentioned the value of the childcare provided, which allowed a significant number of participants to enroll and complete the program. These individuals would otherwise not have been able to participate. Our site was the only JP site to provide childcare. At the end of the fall semester, a survey was sent to the participants. Check out the results below and prayerfully consider joining us for our next class starting August 29th!

Fall 2024 Classes Begin on August 29

Volunteers are the key to the success of the Jobs Partnership program. Visit our website to learn more about how you can get involved!

  • LifeWork Coaches: Provide guidance, support and wisdom to help the JP participants find a path to a better work situation. The coaches walk hand in hand with the participants through the scripture-based life works curriculum.
  • Interview Practice Coaches: Attend one of the evening sessions to work with participants to improve their job interviewing skills. 
  • Resume Coaches: Work individually with participants (usually virtual) to help craft or improve resumes.
  • Meal Preparation Team: A meal is provided during each of the 12 week sessions. We are looking for church groups to each provide one meal. A number of church bible studies have provided amazing meals in past years.
  • Childcare: We are the only JP site to provide child care. This has enabled a significant number of participants to enroll and complete the program. These individuals would otherwise not have been able to participate. We are looking for several individuals who would be willing to provide child care.

Learn more about our upcoming class at the link below.

Opportunity and hope look like this!

Devotion: Pilgrimage to England

Cheerio, my friends, as they say across the pond. I am practicing my greetings so I will be ready for my pilgrimage next week and I wanted to tell you a bit about it.

Two years ago, before we were even parents to three children, Ryan and I were asked to apply for the Wesley Study Tour, a pilgrimage in England that takes us around the country to study the sights and traditions of our faith. We applied for this and got choosen last year and we have been looking forward to this adventure ever since. Many years ago, the Florida entrepreneurs and philanthropists, Bernie and LaVonn Simpkins established a trust that would bless 10 people each year with a trip to England to learn more about our Wesleyan roots. The trip was set up for United Methodist pastors and their spouses to go, in fact, LaVonn, at the time, only agreed to using the money in this way if the spouses were included and I am so glad she time. I have learned that over 13 years of ministry and almost 14 years of marriage, that Ryan and I need each other’s support and investment to have a successful and fruitful ministry. And having this experience together will be such a gift!

On Monday, July 29th, Ryan and I will be leaving our three tiny humans in the capable hands of our loving parents and heading to England with four other couples that are all in ministry in the United Methodist Church in Florida. The men are Ryan’s covenant brothers and the wives are awesome partners in their ministry! We will be traveling all over England but focusing our time in London, Oxford, Bristol and Epworth. We will see John and Charles Wesley’s home church, Christ College where John studied and Lincoln College where he held is Holy Club meetings in the 1720’s. Then we will head to Bristol where John’s famous brother Charles lived and sing many of the hymns he wrote along the way. We will finish the day with partaking in Holy Communion in New Room, which is the oldest Methodist building in the world. On Sunday, we will worship in London at the City Road Chapel and then take in the sights of London. The following week we will visit and make connections with other denominational leaders at the Central Methodists Hall and I am particularly excited to hear how Methodists are reaching new people, in new ways in the UK. On our final day, we will worship at St. Paul’s Cathedral and walk the streets of Aldersgate, where John Wesley had his conversion experience. All in all, 8 jammed packed days full of lots of walking, learning, worshipping and discovery.

I have been to England once before when my parents brought us here in High School when we were backpacking across Europe one summer, but I have not been back since being married or becoming a pastor, so I know this will hit me differently this time. I am looking forward to spending time with my husband and our ministry friends, having adult conversations without the constant, but adorable interrupting of little, inquisitive minds and seeing all of the sights I have mentioned above. But mostly, I am looking forward to reconnecting with my Wesleyan roots. I believe that the Wesleyan way of looking at Scripture, faith and holiness is exactly what the world needs right now and I look forward to bringing those lessons, sights and transformative moments back with me.

I know you will pray for me, for Ryan and for our children while we are away and I look forward to being back with you in worship on August 11th. Stay tuned for more, but for now, Cheerio, my friends!

Devotion: Thoughts for Today

I don’t know about you, but my head has been spinning these last few days. I am trying to live in the moment of what is happening in our country and to try and bring light and levity to a heavy mood. At the same time, I am preparing myself for 10 days of pilgrimage in England where Ryan and I will see and experience first-hand the rich history of the Methodist denomination that we love and are called to serve. And lastly, I am deeply invested in this Ted Lasso sermon series and trying to faithfully bring to light what the Spirit has laid on my heart.

I say this not for pity but to reassure you that if you feel like you have a lot that you are trying to mentally order and make sense of, you are in good company.

As a pastor I tend to look at what is happening in our country with a particular lens. I see the anger, the sadness, the lack of trust and the complete absence of civility not as a place to point a finger in blame, but for the church to enter in. Where can we, as the church listen more than we speak, or think before we respond on social media, or prayerfully consider what we send out over email or work through our own anger and disappointment before we take it out on someone else? Where can the church bring unity despite our differences of opinions and passions? If ever our country needed the grace of Jesus and the manifestation of that through the church, that time is now! What would it look like to be men and women ready to enter into the conflict and bring peace, rather than avoidance or ignorance?

I think that is one of the reasons I loved the Ted Lasso sermon series. I will share more on Sunday, but one thing I don’t mention in my sermons is just how vulnerable Ted was as a leader and how open he was to learning new things. The fact that he came as a professional football coach to lead a sport he really knew very little about speaks to his willingness to engage in the PROGMESS. Yes, you read that right, Prog-mess, instead of progress because we know that as Wesleyans, going onto perfection or progressing towards acting more like Jesus means that we have to deal with the mess. I have said it before and I will say it again, some days I am a hot mess, and I am going to bet that you have days like that too. There is mess in all of us, there mess in our church, there mess in our relationships and there mess in our culture. It doesn’t mean we will fix it (not that we are even the ones doing the fixing) and it doesn’t mean that it won’t be uncomfortable. But will we choose to enter into it and give it a try.

I think one of the reasons I love being a Wesleyan most of all is how John Wesley quickly realized that Jesus loved the messy people and wasn’t afraid to enter into it. John Wesley could have enjoyed a relatively comfortable life as an Anglican priest in a clean and conventional parish, but he took the message of God’s love in Jesus Christ out into the fields and the coal mines and the streets and the mess and because of that choice, we are here today. I invite you reflect this week on how you, as a representative of God’s abundant grace, are called to enter the mess and not add to it. How can we be people of Prog-MESS?

May God add God’s blessing to the hearing and consuming of these words.

AMEN

Singing, Serving, and BBQ!

From June 8th-11th, our Impact Singers embarked on their annual Sing & Serve Mission Trip to Memphis, Tennessee. Here’s a glimpse into their transformative week, shared by our Traditional Worship Director, Alex Glover.

Day 1: We started our day with an early morning flight, meeting at the airport at 3:00am and enjoying a sunrise over Charlotte, NC before reaching Memphis. After lunch at Elwood’s Shack (known for its delicious house-made BBQ and generous portions) we settled into our lodging, stocked up on groceries, and prepared for our first service project.

At Calvary Rescue Mission, dedicated to helping homeless men in Memphis, we met Executive Director “Chief” Dennis Rutledge, toured their century-old facility, and learned about their deep-rooted mission centered on Christian values. It was beautiful to see how much God was at the center of their work here. They even shared that the building was built on Christ because there is a bible cemented in the foundation. We assisted in serving dinner to nearly 60 men, each with a unique journey and story. It was inspiring to witness their gratitude and join them in worship, singing our choral music and hearing a beautiful sermon on the unconditional love of Jesus. Our evening concluded with a reflective devotional focused on walking in someone else’s shoes, resonating deeply with our experience at the mission.

Day 2: We started early at Memphis Animal Services for their first-ever dog walk/run event, joining nearly 100 volunteers to socialize, walk, and run with over 200 shelter dogs! It was a heartwarming morning spent helping these animals find potential forever homes. After a relaxing lunch at the lodge, we explored the Memphis Botanic Garden, a must-see destination in the city with its serene beauty.

Later, we soaked in the atmosphere of historic Beale Street, indulging in delicious Memphis BBQ at Pig on Beale before heading back. Our evening devotional centered on commitment, prompting reflections on our personal pledges and aspirations.

Day 3: We started our day at St. John’s United Methodist Church, joining their welcoming worship service where Pastor Lora Jean Gowan preached on love and inclusion. This beautiful, open, and loving community exudes Christ’s love from every corner. The Impact Singers performed beautifully in the historic sanctuary, and we enjoyed a quick lunch with the congregation. Afterward, we took a Mojo Bus Tour downtown, learning about Memphis’s musical history through Elvis, Johnny Cash, and more.

Later, we visited the Memphis Pyramid for its scenic lookout and stumbled upon the Memphis Chess Club, housed in a historic building linked to Elvis Presley. We returned home to eat and do our daily devotions which had us all focused on Joy and Laughter! We reflected on how we experienced joy throughout the day and where we saw God. On to our final day in Memphis before we head back to Orlando tomorrow.

Day 4: Our final day was incredibly impactful! We began at the National Civil Rights Museum, a recommendation from our Pastor David. It was a chilling monument to American history, with messages that still resonate today. I am grateful our students had the chance to learn and grow here.

After a picnic lunch, we visited the Memphis Chess Club for coffee and then enjoyed the Memphis Zoo. Later, we served at Room In The Inn, helping with dinner and cleaning their kitchen. It was rewarding to see how our efforts made a difference in their transitional housing for women and families. We ended the day with dinner at Huey’s and a final devotional on Joy. I can say I found it in watching these eight kids share God’s love through the last four days. The future is bright!

Devotion: Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek…this is the game we played together at home yesterday evening. It was raining outside and Ryan was cooking dinner and so we needed a fun and an all ages appropriate game to play together so for about an hour the four of us played together, even though Ellie doesn’t know how to be quiet when she is “hiding”. I love this game and swear it was invented by a parent because if you are really good at finding a suitable hiding place, you might just get a blissful 5-7 minute block of quiet while your children run around the house yelling, “Mommy, where are you?!”

It was during one of these short blissful moments of quiet that I thought about seeking and finding. When you played the game as a kid, did you enjoy hiding more or being “IT?” At this season of life, as I have already shared, I enjoy the hiding part, but there was a season I liked the seeking most of all.

As we walk through our own lives, our faith compels us not to hide in the shadows, but come out into the light. Jesus says in the Gospel of Matthew, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

For the last two months, we have been studying in worship and in community groups 10 Questions Jesus asked and how they were answered. But we, too, are encouraged to ask questions and to learn more. In other words, seek, not hide. In VBS last week, we taught the Elementary Campers about the story of young Jesus asking questions in the Temple when he was lost from his parents. Did he ask questions then because he did not know the answer, or did he already know the answers, but he was modeling the humble act of seeking? I don’t know, but from the beginning of Jesus’ life until these words are spoken in the seventh chapter of Matthew, we are encouraged by our Lord to seek, ask and learn more.

There will be seasons in my life and in my faith journey that I would really rather just hide. Hide my anger, my disappointment, my doubt and let me have my few minutes of blissful quiet to wallow in that. In fact, I think the way the modern church is structured lends to that way of being without even meaning to. We come to worship, we sit and consume and then we leave, week after week. There are not many places built into the hour on Sunday for honest dialogue, vulnerability or a place to ask questions. All of that happens when we reach out and initiate a relationship that goes beyond just consuming at church. Many of you have found what is life giving is when you are a part of a Sunday School class or Bible or Book Study, or a Connect group or a fellowship gathering. This is where we ask our questions and express our doubts, share our fears and come out of our hiding places. If you don’t below to a group like this, I want you to consider joining one this year and I would happy to help get you connected.

May you feel God’s love and grace all around you this day whether you are seeking or hiding and may we walk into the light, together.