They Followed Jesus Before Following Jesus Was Cool!

"And immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him." Matthew 4

Peter, Andrews, James, and John followed Jesus IMMEDIATELY. They did not discuss it with each other first.  They did not go home and ask their wives if it sounded like a good idea.  They did not ask Jesus about wages, health benefits, or vacation days. They did not ask what would happen to them. Nothing. 

They dropped their nets and walked away from their jobs, their paychecks, their families, their homes, and their whole lives to follow Jesus. And they did it before He started His miracles and had so many followers and became popular.

They followed Jesus before following Jesus was cool!

We now know the benefits of following Jesus.  We also know the risks.  But we know that the blessings far outweigh the risks.  Why is it so hard for us to follow Jesus now?

A Roaring Reputation

“Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.” Daniel 6:4

Yesterday, Ben and I were asked to start teaching the Middle School Bible Study Class on Sunday mornings. Thankfully, the lesson was on Daniel and the Lion’s Den so we were already familiar with the story, but isn’t it funny when you read a story for the millionth time and still learn something new?

One thing we discussed in class was using Daniel’s example of keeping a good reputation. The people around him tried to find fault with Daniel and bring him down, but his impeccable reputation prevailed. So why did Daniel get thrown into the lion’s den? He prayed! Praying to the One True God instead of just the king is what landed him into a world of trouble. We know the rest of the story. The king came back the next day to find Daniel completely unharmed by the lions because God found him innocent and protected him.

The lesson to be learned is to keep a good reputation by always being kind and doing the right thing so when people try to blame you for something, they will be unable to do so.

Today, it randomly dawned on me that it was the 13th of the month, and I had not paid my rent yet. Trying not to go into panic mode, I drove straight to the property manager’s office. They have a new manager that does not know me, and I apologized and explained to her that I have never once been late on my rent. I told her my boss’s husband just passed away, and I’ve been so focused on my boss, my work, and the biggest fundraiser of the year, that it never crossed my mind to pay rent.

The new manager could not have been any nicer and completely understood the situation then she told me that when she realized I was late, she checked back at my past records and noticed that I had never paid late before. She said she had a feeling that something was wrong, and she decided not to charge me a late fee, which she had every right to do. I was so thankful for her kindness and understanding.

When I got back in the car, I smiled when I thought about Daniel and his reputation. Reputation is not just what others think about you. Your reputation also includes how dependable you are, your actions, and your habits. Because I have always been dependable on paying rent on time, the manager saw the extenuating circumstances and showed my kindness to me. Apparently, this isn’t just a lesson for middle schoolers.

All About Jesus

Yesterday, I was at a funeral for Ben’s great aunt, and I couldn’t help it when my mind drifted to “I wonder what my funeral will be like.”

I started thinking that I want it to be a celebration, not a sad event.  I want it to be happy and colorful and joyful, and then three words popped into my mind: All About Jesus.  

I want my funeral to be all about Jesus in every possible way.  I want Jesus to be listed as my first love and what I lived my life for.  I want people to say that I introduced them to Jesus, or I helped point them to Jesus.  I want them to say that I reflected Jesus in my words and actions. I want the Gospel to be the main focus of the day.  I want the love and grace of Jesus to be so evident that there is no denying it. I want the music, the words that are spoken, everything to be all about Jesus.  

Then the next thought to hit my mind was: Why am I waiting for my funeral to be all about Jesus? I want my LIFE to be all about Jesus!!

I want it obvious that Jesus is my first love and what I live my life for.  I want to introduce people to Jesus and help point them to Jesus. I want my words and reactions to be reflections of Jesus in everything I do.  I want the Gospel to be my main focus every day of my life. I want the love and grace of Jesus to be so evident that there is no denying it. I want the music that I listen to, the words that I hear and say, everything to be all about Jesus.

If I’m not living my life for Jesus, then what am I living my life for?  It’s all about Jesus.

But I'm Right!

I hate being wrong.  The other day, I was running by the beach when something happened that I had to share. 

I love running, always have.  It is my time to think, to pray, to get away from the craziness of the world.  I always listen to music, and I often find myself dancing while I’m running.  This particular time, I am enjoying the run, jamming out to my music, and tuning out the rest of the world when a bike sneaks up behind me narrowly missing me. 

Are you kidding me?  Yes, I am running in the bike lane, but he is in the wrong lane going the wrong direction.  Why don’t people pay attention?  Why don’t people follow the rules?  There is clearly a symbol on the road that says he is going the wrong direction so why doesn’t he see it?  The symbol is right there saying that… oops… I am the one going the wrong direction. 

I wanted to find the guy on the bike and apologize for being wrong.  Even though I didn’t say anything out loud, I still felt guilty for being so angry at someone when I was the one who was in the wrong.

This whole situation got me thinking… What else am I wrong about?  There are so many situations when I am convinced that I am right only to find out later that I’m not.

Lessons of the Day:  You are not always right.  Be slow to anger.  Take a step back.  Try to get some perspective.  Read the directional signs (the Bible is what I was thinking.)  When you are wrong, accept it.  Take responsibility.  And apologize when necessary and able.  Don’t let this defeat you.  Learn from your mistakes.  And keep going! 

My Role in My Story

Everyone has a story.  It didn't occur to me until recently that each person is not simply the protagonist in their story, but they actually play multiple parts.  I  had no idea how many roles I play in my own story, and the list surprised me.  

To my God, I am a follower, a disciple, a princess, a witness.  To my family, I'm a daughter, a sister, a sister-in-law, a niece, a cousin, and, as of January 30th, an aunt.  To a sweet guy, I am a (lucky) girlfriend.  For some people, I am a friend.  For Beachy Beach, I am the assistant (Karen's shadow, the director of first impressions, IT guy, electronic "expert," my favorite: Karen's spoiled princess, etc).  For Plexus, I am an ambassador.  And to a sweet puppy, I'm her Mommy.  

When I first realized the number of parts I play and hats I wear, I honestly felt a overwhelmed and stressed, but then I remembered I serve a great God that is always strong even in my weaknesses.  Alone, I cannot handle everything, but "With God ALL things are possible!"  I won't say this is easy, but I know it is all worth it.  And I know so many people play numerous more roles that I do, and I applaud those that can juggle everything.

Some of these roles are brand new to me, and I still have so much to learn with each of them.  I recognize that I am a master of none of these, and there is always room for improvement.  But because I now understand what parts I play in this story, I will be able to go into a New Year with a better game plan.  In 2016, I will have the opportunity to learn my lines and hide God's Word in my heart (Psalm 119:11), let God be the Director of my life, (Proverbs 3:6), practice until I get it right (Philippians 4:9), dress my part with strength and dignity (Proverbs 31:25), overcome stage-fright and other fears (Psalm 27:11), and when all else fails, improv and make it up as I go but seeking God first in all things (Matthew 6:33).  This year, I promise to do my best in every role that I play.  

We are only a few hours away until midnight, and I have decided the verse I will strive to live by in 2016, is Colossians 3:23-24: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Happy New Year to You and Yours!  May God Bless You in 2016!

We Will Always Cheer for Victory!

Rant for the day: I love Troy! I love football. I'm competitive, but I know winning isn't everything. It wasn't too long ago that Troy won 5 sunbelt championships in a row. The question was "where" not "if" we were going to a bowl game. Teams use to be scared of us. We used to joke that Troy was the team that would "almost beat" everybody.  In 2007, UGA was ranked #10 when they beat us 44-34, and Florida was ranked #4 and beat us 59-31. I was at the 2008 LSU game when we were winning 31-3 at the beginning of the 4th quarter. And the list goes on. They were losses, but we put up a good fight against huge SEC teams, which was awesome! 

We didn't have to beat these big schools for the games to be fun. It was fun simply showing up, cheering on our Trojans, singing our fight song with our amazing Sound of the South, believing we had a shot at winning, and watching the other fans sweat from nervousness. These were the "good ol days" of Trojan football. 

This season hasn't exactly been the best for Troy, but it definitely makes me appreciate our football team more. I'm not expecting an undefeated season, but I've been to 3 bowl games and want to go to more.  I'm not going to echo what everyone has already said. Changes obviously need to be made, but I wish they would be made voluntarily. 

With all of that being said, I love Troy, and Troy will always be my #1 Team. Troy became a part of my family before I did. Both of my parents, both of my brothers and sisters-in-law, and several of my aunts, uncles, and cousins went to Troy. Troy has given me so much, and I have so many happy memories of Troy, especially football season. I've been to the Swamp, Death Valley, the Superdome, and other places to cheer for Troy, and I want to continue the traditions. So I'm going to stay optimistic and look forward to Homecoming! Cheers to T-R-O-Y! We are with you all the way! 

Where Were You?

September 11, 2001: Where were you? Where were you when you realized it wasn't just another day? Where were you when you found out that America was not as invincible as you thought?

I was in Mrs. Carlisle’s 7th grade English class. After the first plane hit the World Trade Center, we went to the library to watch the news. I thought it was a horrible accident. The only logical explanation was a plane was flying too low and hit the building. As we stared at the screen watching the sky fill with smoke, we watched the second plane hit. At first, we thought they were showing a replay of the first plane's crash, but the commentators said differently. I was in complete disbelief. What were the chances of two planes flying too low and hitting two buildings that were side by side? My heart sank when the answer hit me. It wasn't an accident.

My eyes stayed glued to the TV the entire day trying to comprehend what they were seeing. My mom suddenly appeared in the library asking me if I remembered Jason's grandmother's name; she was trying to call her. Jason was a childhood friend that had lived a few blocks from my house, and though our families were really close, we hadn't seen them for a few years. Was she seriously asking me this right now? Didn't she have any idea what was happening? Of course, my mom knew. She also knew something I didn't. Jason was working in New York at the World Trade Center. After spending I don't know how much time praying, wondering, and holding my breath, there was nothing but pure joy and relief when we found out that he wasn't in the building when the planes hit.



A few years ago, I went to Ground Zero with my mom. The only way I know to describe it is unbelievably overwhelming. I ran my fingers over the names on the memorial, closed my eyes, and prayed. I prayed for those families and friends. I prayed a thank you for keeping Jason safe. I prayed a thank you for keeping my family safe. And I prayed a thank you for Mrs. Carlisle because I was in her classroom when it happened, and she was a large part of the reason why I majored in history. After we left the memorial, my mom wanted to stop at a cafe a few blocks away. We sat for a little while looking at our travel guide map trying to figure out our next destination, and then I noticed something that made me laugh. We were on Carlisle St.

"Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?" was the song by Alan Jackson that summed up September 11th better than anything in my opinion because it captures the emotional experience from that day. "On that September day," I was scared. I was confused. I was heartbroken. I was angry. But surprisingly, there were other emotions I didn't expect. I was grateful. I was optimistic. I was hopeful. In this song, Alan Jackson also reminds us of the Giver of faith, hope, and love, and that the greatest gift that was ever given is love. This song basically says to enjoy the simple things, to help each other, to be grateful for another day, and not to wait for something like this to happen to "dust off that Bible at home." By the way, instead of watching I Love Lucy I watched M*A*S*H* reruns.

You remember where you were. If you actually made it through this longer-than-expected post, I want to know your answer. Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning That September Day?