Encouraged By Stories...

I love a great story. I love to tell great stories and I love to hear great stories. My family has always been filled with great story-tellers. I just love stories. I love the feeling you get when you are listening to great story and you feel captivated by what's happening in this story that you are listening to almost so much that you forget where you are, what you are doing and you even forget that your listening to a story because now you feel as if you are in the story. I love Great Story-Telling...

At Oasis Church, this has been the first summer season in our churches short history that we haven't grown through the summer. I must admit, that has been somewhat frustrating and disappointing for me. It has taken a toll on me. I stress-out and worry, when in reality I know that I shouldn't worry, but I do. However, something interesting has happened over the last few days that has lifted my spirits, I'll share...

We had a Dream Team meeting last week and I had a few our leaders share some things that they were thankful to God for and just asked them to lift up God for a minute for something that He had done in their life recently. One of my friends, Rick Rios, said these words... "I want to thank God for my church, I love my church, It has definitely changed my life." Statements like that are inspiring to me, because that's why I do what I do, that's why I am in the ministry, that's why I am in Augusta, GA.

That moment with Rick in our meeting got me to thinking, "I wonder how many other people may feel this way?" So I started asking some of our people here at Oasis to start emailing me their stories, and what God has done in their life recently and since they have been attending our church. Some of the stories are really great and encouraging. Over the next few weeks, I am going to be sharing these stories through a number of different mediums, through video in our services and on the internet, on this blog, and in letters and emails to our people.

It's great to be a part of a church that is changing lives!

COURAGE!!

I was telling my wife a few weeks ago while we were riding in the car that something has happened to me over the last few months... I said, "I feel like I have fallen in love with the Old Testament all over again..." I was thinking about that statement that I said to her and begin to wonder why that was, what was going on in my life that would cause that, why was I getting so much from my Old Testament readings, and what was it that was so captivating to me, and I think I figured it out...

It's COURAGE! I have such an admiration for COURAGE. Even in today's world when I hear stories of people exemplifying great courage I am so moved by their stories. I listen intently, as men who have been in Iraq or some distant place fighting the War on Terror, begin to share stories or start talking about the courage that they have seen in their fellow soldiers. I am moved by stories of young kids fighting cancer or illness. I am inspired by people who take on great challenges and come out on the other side victorious and successful. All of that is because of a deep admiration for courage.

When I read stories in the Old Testament I see men and women with great courage. I think there are a few common denominators when it comes to the great giants of our faith, things that they all had in common, characteristics they all shared. I believe COURAGE to be one of those. It is a trait that I long for. It s something I am passionate about. It is a characteristic that I hope will one day be used to describe me and my life.

I read stories like, The 3 Hebrew Boys in the book of Daniel when they said, "We have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O King. But if not, be it known to you, O King, that we will not serve your god's or worship the image of gold that you have set up.", and i am so moved by the courage that oozes out of them...

I read the story of Benaiah, and read how he chased a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed it and how because of that he was catapulted and promoted to being David's chief bodyguard, and I am so inspired by the courage I see in him...

I think about Eleazar and how even when everyone ran from the fight he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines until his hand froze to the sword...

I remember the courage of David as he looked at his brothers on the field of battle as they hid from Goliath and he said to them, "Is there not a cause..."

Noah comes to my mind, when he built an ark just because God told him to, even when everyone else must have thought he was crazy...

I think about Jonathan and his armor bearer on the side of a mountain saying, "perhaps God will show up..."

I think about Esther and her courage to own a moment, knowing that she was placed in the palace for such a time as this...

I think about Joseph running from Potiphar's wife, and having the courage to do what is right even when it costs you...

And I think about Gideon taking his small army and having the courage to trust the Lord even when he couldn't see the end form the beginning...


These stories and so many more inspire me to have COURAGE... I want my sons to be able to look back on my life and not just see one small act of courage but to see a lifetime of courageous moments. I want them to be able to look back and see a life of courageous faith...

Leadership requires courage, if you lead then this is one thing you cannot do without...

If there is one characteristic, that I hope that I have that these great men and women of our faith had, it's COURAGE!

How about you? Do you want to be courageous? Ho do you measure up when it comes to courage?