The power of preparation

Good morning! I hope your weekend was refreshing and filled with the presence of Christ.

This week I will be travelling to India with two other men from our church. This will be my second visit to India to work alongside a fellow pastor and dear friend. Over the 12 days of our journey we will be working with church leaders throughout southern India.

A trip such as this one is not thrown together overnight, in fact it takes many months of prayer, planning and follow through to bring it all together.

1 Chronicles 22:5 (NLT)
David said, “My son Solomon is still young and inexperienced, and the Temple of the Lord must be a magnificent structure, famous and glorious throughout the world. So I will begin making preparations for it now.” So David collected vast amounts of building materials before his death.

I am a big picture type of person. I dream big dreams and want to see them realized in the blink of an eye. For someone like me planning and preparation can be difficult, but without there is no realization of the dream once dreamed. The realization of the dream is the fruit of the labor of preparation.

For this trip, setting dates and saying “I’ll see you there” is not enough. My team and I have had to raise funds; choose flight schedules and routes; update our vaccinations, make sure our passports and visas were in order; prepare our minds, bodies and souls for the journey ahead. Those are the big things. Then there are the “minor” details like toothpaste, toilet paper, batteries, socks, a belt ( I actually forgot this one the last time), etc….

When it is all said and done the dream will be reality. These months of preparation will become a life changing experience not only for my team, but for those we spend time with in the next two weeks. All of the burden of preparation will be rewarded with the fruit of fulfillment.

So today put the ball in motion. Begin the preparation process to do something big. Stop living by the rule of “why do today what you can put off until tomorrow.” Great things can be accomplished when we set our mind to finishing one task at a time.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

p.s. You may be receiving your Monday Morning Encouragement at some unique times over the next two weeks due to time differences and internet availability.

Hidden Dangers

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

This past Friday was a great day to go fishing. We were in between cold fronts, the winds were fairly light and the fishing had been decent the past few outings. It was a perfect recipe for a great day on the water. So with delusions of grandeur I made my way to my favorite fishing hole these days, the Upper Laguna Madre.

I got to my fishing hole unloaded my rods and reels, tackle box and my new inflatable fishing vessel, the SS Youvegot2BkiddingMe. I busily got work inflating the chambers and within 20 minutes the boat was ready for the water. So I drug it into the water, secured the anchor and began loading my gear into the boat. Everything was going even better than planned….until…. That is until I heard a faint “hissssssssssss” and bubbles blowing under the bow. I moved the boat and listened again…”hisssssss” came the reply.

I picked up the boat and wouldn’t you know it a hole….the size of a pin prick in the bow of the boat. If I take the boat out, I might not get back, at some point the main chamber is going to deflate.

As I scanned the sand, I found the cause of my air retention crisis. A #6 hook was buried in the sand, with the point sticking up. Ouch!!!! A hook hidden from view had completely grounded the morning’s fishing expedition. That brings me to this morning’s thought:

Psalm 19:12 (NLT)
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

Whether we want to admit it or not, each one of us has dark corners within us. Places where the light of God is not freely allowed to shine. These are the secret compartments of our lives. The places where sharp objects such as bitterness, hatred, envy, lust and greed dwell. At first glance these items are not readily visible, but brush against them and they have the ability to quickly puncture the soul. A bitter root deflates a potentially deep and meaningful friendship; a lustful barb reduces a beautiful human being to a piece of meat and these are just two examples of the dangers that lie within.

In my days as a police officer one of my duties was to train rookie police officers in the field training stages of their career. I used to tell them that the deadliest weapon that would be used against them over their careers was the “one you don’t see.” This bit of wisdom holds true to these areas of the soul. It is the “one you don’t see” that can wreak the greatest amount of havoc in your own life. That is why the Psalmist asked God to “Cleanse me from these hidden faults.”

This week I encourage you to ask God to shine the light of His presence throughout the landscape of your heart. Ask Him to expose those hidden dangers so that you can deal with them before they sink your ship.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

P.S. Through the power of duct tape, I was able to salvage my fishing day. 7 hours, 1 broken oar and some stiff muscles later…I caught 1 fish, but had a wonderful day.

Sermon Player -

Sermon Player - Parkdale Baptist Church

Good Job Coach!!!

Good morning! I hope you had a restful weekend.

Over the weekend I went with my youngest son, Collin, to watch his final basketball game of the season. This was Collin’s first year to play basketball, so this final game was special.

Over the last 6 weeks that Collin has been playing, I have watched him develop a whole new set of skills. Collin had never played basketball before, so things like dribbling, passing and shooting were new to him. In addition to those basic skill sets he also had to learn the rules of the game, how to defend an opposing player and how to work with his teammates on offense.

Watching Collin’s development as a player was really a greater reflection on his coach. Collin’s coach had to impart his own knowledge and experience of the game to Collin and the rest of the players on his team. Not only are knowledge and experience required, but a high degree of patience and flexibility is required as well.

The idea of coaching and mentoring is nothing new. Look at this set of instructions from the Old Testament:

Exodus 35:34-35 (NLT)
And the Lord has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their skills to others. [35] The Lord has given them special skills as jewelers, designers, weavers, and embroiderers in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn on fine linen cloth. They excel in all the crafts needed for the work.

Each of us has the potential to be a “coach” to someone. God has given you unique talents, skills and understandings that are not common to everyone. At the same time He has placed others around you who have a desire to learn the very things that you have expertise in.

Now you may be thinking: “I’m a jack of all trades, but an expert in none…what could I teach?” Let me remind you that you have experience. The classroom of life has been your laboratory and your experiences qualify you for the role of teacher. You are always a few steps ahead of someone on the journey of life that is looking for some guidance through waters you have already navigated.

Now Collin’s coach did not turn him into the next Michael Jordan, but he did lay the foundation for others to build on. Collin now has a love for the game of basketball and a desire to continue improving his skills. He has been given the basics of the game and in the future others will sharpen, refine and further develop those basics.

This week I encourage you consider those who could benefit from your coaching. Step out and offer to share your experience.

Until next Monday may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl

The fish had nothing to fear

Good morning! I hope you had a great weekend.

Most people who know me also know that fishing is one of my favorite hobbies. I enjoy being out near the water with a rod and reel in hand. I use my fishing time to draw close to God in prayer and thought.

Those closest to me also know that I am not always the most productive fisherman; however, my productivity does not affect my love for the sport. Lately I have been fishing an area that has great promise, but my results have been disappointing. I have been watching the other fisherman and have noticed a couple of kayak fisherman lately. These guys paddle out a few hundred yards and drop their lines. Needless to say their results have been much more productive than mine simply because of their mobility.

Not being one to be outdone this past week I purchased an inflatable fishing raft (complete with rod holders and gear storage). This past Saturday I took the S.S. YouveGot2BKidding out for her maiden voyage. Air pump…check, oars…check, fishing rods…check, tackle….check, bait….check, life jacket….check, competency with the craft….not even close, familiarity with the craft…you get the idea.

As I was preparing to go out on the water a front began to move through and the wind picked up. By the time I got on the water for every foot I rowed forward, the wind pushed me 2 more to the side. By the end of my maiden voyage, I had lost one inflatable cushion, one oar retention ring, a whole lot of pride and I walked my boat 200 along the shoreline back to my truck. The fish were safe that day for sure!!!

Never one to miss out on a teachable moment, I found some great lessons in this comical inaugural launching:

Philippians 3:17 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.

First of all, take the time to learn from those who are already doing the job well. In my case I would have been better off to have spent some time refreshing my knowledge and skills. I haven’t operated an inflatable craft on open water in nearly 20 years. My skills and my memory of my skills are two separate things.

Proverbs 16:32 (NLT)
It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city.

Secondarily, it is important to take your time. No matter what you are undertaking, you will not become an expert overnight. It may take you weeks, months or even years to develop new skills to the point of proficiency. Let the vision of desired outcomes be your motivation for pressing on through the process of learning.

This week you may find that your visions of productive fishing end up being a knee high romp back to shore with your boat in tow. Don’t fret, you will have more opportunities to cast out again and in due time the fish will have reason worry once again.

Until next Monday, may God’s richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl