Yes, we got the puppy. And, yes, the look on the boys’ faces when they realized he was ours was priceless. There are a couple of pictures on Facebook if you’d like to look me up and see.
And no, when I dashed to the window early Christmas morning to see if there was a Harley Davidson parked in the driveway with a huge orange and black bow tied to it, I was again this year disappointed. I did end up with a blue PORTA hoodie, so I guess I’m an official Blue Jays fan. Can’t wait to see some high school basketball this winter.
I have to admit, the puppy is really cute. A little whiny, but it’s a sweet whine. He just likes to be with people and needs lots of love. Who doesn’t? I think the Hollidays spoiled him and his siblings from the day they were born. Nothing wrong with that at all.
And while I’ve been the one getting up when he needs to go out at night, I also have to admit that our boys have handled much of the responsibility of caring for him. They’ve helped clean up messes, played outside in the cold and loved on him right away. It’s been a great connection for man and dog. And fun for Dad to watch them together.
Toby’s trying to teach him how to dance. Tyler can’t wait for him to learn to catch Frisbees. Amy’s a sucker for his charm, and I’m gathering as many sermon illustrations as possible. In fact I should probably forewarn you that my Sunday morning preaching may contain an abnormally high number of pet references. Which is probably welcome relief from those who think I use too many sports illustrations.
After two days of animated household debate, we finally came up with a name: Nicolas. Being a Christmas gift we made the connection with jolly old St. Nicolas. Toby had long had in mind to name his dog “Max,” but apparently he imagined a brown dog, and since ours is blonde “Max” just didn’t work. My suggestion of “Tebow” didn’t fly, but after he threw four interceptions Sunday it’s probably for the best.
It’s been a good Christmas.
And speaking of good Christmas, I have to say we had a great week of church. Last Wednesday we sent three groups of carolers out in the community to deliver some Christmas joy in song. As usual for such things, I’m not sure whether the greater blessing belonged to those whom we visited or us.
On Saturday we gathered together for a special Christmas Eve candlelight service. Christmas morning brought us back to praise and worship the One without whom there would be no Christmas, no reason for hope of greater things to come, no lasting joy, no perfect peace and no life filled with abundance and assurance of heaven. Jesus is the not the main reason for celebrating Christmas; He’s the only reason.
Let me also say to all the guests who’ve worshipped with us this week – thank you for joining us! It’s always a delight to welcome any and all who want to come. I hope you experienced something of the love of Christ and the joy of Christian fellowship. And I pray that the message of “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” resonates deeply in your heart.
Indeed, Jesus is the Savior of the world who came to save us from our sins and save us to eternal life. And “whosoever will” may come to Him. So come, walk away from everything else and follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Maybe your life’s not a Christmas wonderland postcard, but when you come to Jesus He’ll make you a new creation and give you new life.
It’s always a good Christmas when Christ is your life. Hope to see you New Year’s Day to worship the One who makes all things new!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Greatest Gift Forever
By the time you read this [scheduled to be printed in this week's Petersburg Observer which comes out Wednesday evening...so don't say anything about the following if you read this beforehand!!!] my wife and I will have probably picked up a puppy for our two boys for Christmas. It’s going to be their best Christmas present ever! And it may be the end of my world as I know it. I think I’ve finally lost my mind.
They’ve been asking for a long time. I mean years. Up till now I’ve always stood firm against their sugary pleas and shameless begging. Like a certain American Idol judge refusing to be swayed by the sensitive tears of the newest teen sensation wannabe whose story of rising from the projects to the primetime stage melts the hearts of America. Or the middle-aged guy who never really grew up and got a real job because he always dreamed of being a star. Who cares if they can’t even sing? But I digress.
Our youngest, Toby, has these really big puppy-dog eyes. He’s hard to resist. He knows how to turn on the charm. Parents, keep your girls away or he’ll break their hearts.
And Tyler’s so logical and calculated. He has a counter-argument for every reason I’ve said no (and there are many of them). He could probably create a spreadsheet detailing the advantages of why a boy needs a dog.
Of course, they’ve both made all kinds of promises about how they’ll do all the work in taking care of a puppy. This from one who forgot to wear his glasses to school yesterday, and from the other who spilled his Sunny-D all over the breakfast table just this morning!
I have a feeling I know who will end up taking the dog out in the rain, scooping up poop all over the yard and getting yelled at by the neighbors when he barks up a storm. If I may, allow me to apologize in advance for whatever nuisance we’re about to stir up on Sunny Acres Rd. While I’m at it, maybe I should also apologize to Toby’s teacher, Mrs. Hance, and to Tyler’s 6th grade teachers for any lack of attention the boys may display due to thinking about their new puppy.
But it’s Christmas. And while I realize the weight of responsibility (and financial obligation) involved in pet ownership, as a father I want to give this gift to my children. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when we bring home the puppy!
I’m excited for them about playing with their new friend, growing up together and creating lifelong memories. I’m anxious to watch them running and chasing and jumping around in the yard. I’m looking forward to hearing their laughter and squeals of delight. I’m eager to see the bonds of companionship and friendship dig deep roots.
I know they’re going to absolutely love it. And I’m going to love providing a little extra joy in their lives.
When you think about it, isn’t that something like the gift of God which we celebrate at Christmas? Our heavenly Father loves His children immeasurably more than I love my own boys. His love is perfect, unfailing, undeserved and unending. He delights in delighting His people with the joy and fellowship of experiencing a personal relationship with Him.
To demonstrate such love, God gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. He didn’t have to do it, but He did. To show us His love, to give us joy, to bring us peace and to save us from our sins. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
A puppy will be a great gift for our family. But the best gift ever is not a furry, four-legged friend. It’s a merciful and gracious Savior whose name is Jesus. Receive the gift of life in Christ Jesus today. It’ll be your best gift forever. Merry Christmas!
They’ve been asking for a long time. I mean years. Up till now I’ve always stood firm against their sugary pleas and shameless begging. Like a certain American Idol judge refusing to be swayed by the sensitive tears of the newest teen sensation wannabe whose story of rising from the projects to the primetime stage melts the hearts of America. Or the middle-aged guy who never really grew up and got a real job because he always dreamed of being a star. Who cares if they can’t even sing? But I digress.
Our youngest, Toby, has these really big puppy-dog eyes. He’s hard to resist. He knows how to turn on the charm. Parents, keep your girls away or he’ll break their hearts.
And Tyler’s so logical and calculated. He has a counter-argument for every reason I’ve said no (and there are many of them). He could probably create a spreadsheet detailing the advantages of why a boy needs a dog.
Of course, they’ve both made all kinds of promises about how they’ll do all the work in taking care of a puppy. This from one who forgot to wear his glasses to school yesterday, and from the other who spilled his Sunny-D all over the breakfast table just this morning!
I have a feeling I know who will end up taking the dog out in the rain, scooping up poop all over the yard and getting yelled at by the neighbors when he barks up a storm. If I may, allow me to apologize in advance for whatever nuisance we’re about to stir up on Sunny Acres Rd. While I’m at it, maybe I should also apologize to Toby’s teacher, Mrs. Hance, and to Tyler’s 6th grade teachers for any lack of attention the boys may display due to thinking about their new puppy.
But it’s Christmas. And while I realize the weight of responsibility (and financial obligation) involved in pet ownership, as a father I want to give this gift to my children. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when we bring home the puppy!
I’m excited for them about playing with their new friend, growing up together and creating lifelong memories. I’m anxious to watch them running and chasing and jumping around in the yard. I’m looking forward to hearing their laughter and squeals of delight. I’m eager to see the bonds of companionship and friendship dig deep roots.
I know they’re going to absolutely love it. And I’m going to love providing a little extra joy in their lives.
When you think about it, isn’t that something like the gift of God which we celebrate at Christmas? Our heavenly Father loves His children immeasurably more than I love my own boys. His love is perfect, unfailing, undeserved and unending. He delights in delighting His people with the joy and fellowship of experiencing a personal relationship with Him.
To demonstrate such love, God gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. He didn’t have to do it, but He did. To show us His love, to give us joy, to bring us peace and to save us from our sins. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
A puppy will be a great gift for our family. But the best gift ever is not a furry, four-legged friend. It’s a merciful and gracious Savior whose name is Jesus. Receive the gift of life in Christ Jesus today. It’ll be your best gift forever. Merry Christmas!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Wise Men Still Seek Him
I’ve done some dumb things in my life, from the mildly ill-advised to the really stupid. When the Bible speaks of the “wise men” from the east, it doesn’t list my name.
Last year I hung up the icicle lights on the front of the house (after finally getting them untangled) before I checked to see if they worked. My thinking was that since they all worked just fine last year, they ought to light up nice and pretty this year. Some did, some didn’t. It looks pretty bad when only a few random sections light up. So after much labor and frustration in trying to figure out a fix, I gave up altogether and we had the only house on the block that looked like we boycotted Christmas.
Failing to check the lights before you hang them up falls in the ill-advised range.
Under the really stupid, well I don’t have nearly enough space to describe them. However, a few years ago my wife started keeping a journal of all the really stupid things I’ve done, so when the book comes out you can read it for yourself.
I’ll share one, for fun. Just over a year ago I was out riding bikes with my two boys. For some unknown reason once in a while I get the urge to try to show off. Which is really stupid, because I was never any good at doing bike stunts when I was 12, let alone doing them at 39. Nobody’s impressed anyway with a grown man popping a wheelie or doing a bunny hop on his Wal-Mart special mountain bike.
But on this particular occasion I was pedaling down our gravel driveway with a pretty good head of steam. Maybe I wanted to see how far I could skid when I hit the brakes. That’s pretty cool to a couple of young boys, right? But instead of applying just the rear brake I hit both front and rear together. Not sure what I was thinking on that one.
There wasn’t much skidding when that front brake locked, and I found myself flying over the handlebars and crash landing headfirst in the rocks. Wasn’t exactly what I’d planned. Thankfully I was able to walk away with only minor cuts, scrapes and a bruised ego. But walking into our church association’s annual meeting that night with taped up hands and scratched face while being introduced as the new moderator was a little embarrassing. And to top it off, the kids were not impressed in the least.
That one went in the journal.
We’ve all done some dumb things in life. Some reckless, some foolish, some that didn’t matter much and some that leave us with lifelong regrets. You can’t undo what’s already been done. But you can choose to live from this day forward in the way of wisdom or in the way of foolishness.
The Bible spells out the two paths we can take. Consistently the Scriptures describe the wise man as being one who fears the Lord and walks faithfully in His commands. The fool is the one who says in his heart, “There is no God,” and who does not follow the ways of the Lord.
Jesus makes a statement in Matthew 7 concerning these two ways to live. He says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock…And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Mt. 7:24, 26).
Both endured severe storms, but only the wise survived. When it comes to your life, are you living wisely or foolishly? That is, are you living in obedience to the Word of Christ, or not?
Even the “wise men” from the east followed the star they were given to find Jesus. The light’s shining now for you, dear friend. Follow it! Maybe you’ve done some really stupid things, but Jesus offers you new life. Wise men still seek Him.
Last year I hung up the icicle lights on the front of the house (after finally getting them untangled) before I checked to see if they worked. My thinking was that since they all worked just fine last year, they ought to light up nice and pretty this year. Some did, some didn’t. It looks pretty bad when only a few random sections light up. So after much labor and frustration in trying to figure out a fix, I gave up altogether and we had the only house on the block that looked like we boycotted Christmas.
Failing to check the lights before you hang them up falls in the ill-advised range.
Under the really stupid, well I don’t have nearly enough space to describe them. However, a few years ago my wife started keeping a journal of all the really stupid things I’ve done, so when the book comes out you can read it for yourself.
I’ll share one, for fun. Just over a year ago I was out riding bikes with my two boys. For some unknown reason once in a while I get the urge to try to show off. Which is really stupid, because I was never any good at doing bike stunts when I was 12, let alone doing them at 39. Nobody’s impressed anyway with a grown man popping a wheelie or doing a bunny hop on his Wal-Mart special mountain bike.
But on this particular occasion I was pedaling down our gravel driveway with a pretty good head of steam. Maybe I wanted to see how far I could skid when I hit the brakes. That’s pretty cool to a couple of young boys, right? But instead of applying just the rear brake I hit both front and rear together. Not sure what I was thinking on that one.
There wasn’t much skidding when that front brake locked, and I found myself flying over the handlebars and crash landing headfirst in the rocks. Wasn’t exactly what I’d planned. Thankfully I was able to walk away with only minor cuts, scrapes and a bruised ego. But walking into our church association’s annual meeting that night with taped up hands and scratched face while being introduced as the new moderator was a little embarrassing. And to top it off, the kids were not impressed in the least.
That one went in the journal.
We’ve all done some dumb things in life. Some reckless, some foolish, some that didn’t matter much and some that leave us with lifelong regrets. You can’t undo what’s already been done. But you can choose to live from this day forward in the way of wisdom or in the way of foolishness.
The Bible spells out the two paths we can take. Consistently the Scriptures describe the wise man as being one who fears the Lord and walks faithfully in His commands. The fool is the one who says in his heart, “There is no God,” and who does not follow the ways of the Lord.
Jesus makes a statement in Matthew 7 concerning these two ways to live. He says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock…And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Mt. 7:24, 26).
Both endured severe storms, but only the wise survived. When it comes to your life, are you living wisely or foolishly? That is, are you living in obedience to the Word of Christ, or not?
Even the “wise men” from the east followed the star they were given to find Jesus. The light’s shining now for you, dear friend. Follow it! Maybe you’ve done some really stupid things, but Jesus offers you new life. Wise men still seek Him.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Christmas Mysteries Untangled
Seriously, how in the world do Christmas lights get so tangled up? I know for certain that when I took the lights down last year that I did not just jumble and stuff them into the box. I did my best to carefully, neatly coil them in such a way that I should have been able to free each string and easily lift them out.
But what happens in the tote while they hibernate in the attic all year long is a mystery. Somehow they entangle themselves like a, well, like a string of Christmas lights. I can almost hear them laughing as I try in frustration to separate them.
I shared a little of this experience with the church on Sunday. That evening Sally Sutton brought me a comic she clipped from the newspaper that described the situation. There’s a billboard in a family’s front yard that reads: “World’s Largest Knotted Ball of Christmas Lights.” An arrow points to a perfectly tangled, huge mess of lights. A family poses for a photo in front of the ball. Traffic is backed up to see it. A guy, who I assume to be the homeowner, stands perturbed in front of the billboard. He kind of looks like me.
Like I said, it’s a mystery.
Part of the wonder of Christmas is the mystery of it all. How does a virgin conceive a child? How does the angel Gabriel make a visit to Mary? How does Joseph keep getting angelic messages in dreams? How are the wise men guided by the star? How do reindeer really know how to fly? And how is it that any item of clothing I buy for my wife at Christmas never fits right?
And here’s something to think about. How are all of the ancient prophecies concerning the Messiah fulfilled in one birth, in one person?
Some 700 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the prophet Micah foretold the location of the Savior’s birth (Micah 5:2). Isaiah spoke of the virgin birth, and that He would be heir to David’s throne (Isa. 7:14, 9:7). Hosea prophesied that God would call His Son out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1).
Later, Jeremiah foretold of Herod’s murderous rage against the babies in the region of Bethlehem (Jer. 31:15). Going further back, the patriarch Jacob referred to the coming Messiah saying that He would descend from the tribe of Judah. (Gen. 49:10).
All of these things and more were fulfilled when Jesus was born. Coincidence?
In his book, More Than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell observes that the Old Testament records for us over 300 references to the coming of the Messiah. All these prophecies were made at least 400 years before His birth. Using the science of probability, McDowell figures the chances of even just 48 of these prophecies being fulfilled in one person is 10 to the 157th power. That’s an unfathomable number, unless you’re a super math geek, and then it’s even bigger.
The point is that the coming of Jesus as the Messiah is the fulfillment of ancient prophecy and the revelation of divine mystery. What had long been hidden is now made known, “so that all nations might believe and obey Him” (Rom. 16:26).
His life on earth, His sacrificial death on the cross for the forgiveness of sin and His resurrection from the grave all prove Him to be the one and only Savior. And His promise to come again will also be fulfilled without fail.
Friend, you can absolutely trust the Word of God. You can absolutely rely on the promises God makes. Be assured, dear believer, the best is yet to come. But be warned, ye disobedient, that the worst is also yet to come.
I may never figure out why my lights get so tangled. But you can let the truth of Scripture unravel far greater mysteries this Christmas.
But what happens in the tote while they hibernate in the attic all year long is a mystery. Somehow they entangle themselves like a, well, like a string of Christmas lights. I can almost hear them laughing as I try in frustration to separate them.
I shared a little of this experience with the church on Sunday. That evening Sally Sutton brought me a comic she clipped from the newspaper that described the situation. There’s a billboard in a family’s front yard that reads: “World’s Largest Knotted Ball of Christmas Lights.” An arrow points to a perfectly tangled, huge mess of lights. A family poses for a photo in front of the ball. Traffic is backed up to see it. A guy, who I assume to be the homeowner, stands perturbed in front of the billboard. He kind of looks like me.
Like I said, it’s a mystery.
Part of the wonder of Christmas is the mystery of it all. How does a virgin conceive a child? How does the angel Gabriel make a visit to Mary? How does Joseph keep getting angelic messages in dreams? How are the wise men guided by the star? How do reindeer really know how to fly? And how is it that any item of clothing I buy for my wife at Christmas never fits right?
And here’s something to think about. How are all of the ancient prophecies concerning the Messiah fulfilled in one birth, in one person?
Some 700 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the prophet Micah foretold the location of the Savior’s birth (Micah 5:2). Isaiah spoke of the virgin birth, and that He would be heir to David’s throne (Isa. 7:14, 9:7). Hosea prophesied that God would call His Son out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1).
Later, Jeremiah foretold of Herod’s murderous rage against the babies in the region of Bethlehem (Jer. 31:15). Going further back, the patriarch Jacob referred to the coming Messiah saying that He would descend from the tribe of Judah. (Gen. 49:10).
All of these things and more were fulfilled when Jesus was born. Coincidence?
In his book, More Than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell observes that the Old Testament records for us over 300 references to the coming of the Messiah. All these prophecies were made at least 400 years before His birth. Using the science of probability, McDowell figures the chances of even just 48 of these prophecies being fulfilled in one person is 10 to the 157th power. That’s an unfathomable number, unless you’re a super math geek, and then it’s even bigger.
The point is that the coming of Jesus as the Messiah is the fulfillment of ancient prophecy and the revelation of divine mystery. What had long been hidden is now made known, “so that all nations might believe and obey Him” (Rom. 16:26).
His life on earth, His sacrificial death on the cross for the forgiveness of sin and His resurrection from the grave all prove Him to be the one and only Savior. And His promise to come again will also be fulfilled without fail.
Friend, you can absolutely trust the Word of God. You can absolutely rely on the promises God makes. Be assured, dear believer, the best is yet to come. But be warned, ye disobedient, that the worst is also yet to come.
I may never figure out why my lights get so tangled. But you can let the truth of Scripture unravel far greater mysteries this Christmas.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Standing in the Gap this Christmas
So, are you one of those Christmas crazies? You know, the brightest house on the block. Lit up with everything from Santa and reindeer to the angels and elves gathered around the manger. Maybe even some of those huge inflatable snowmen hanging out on your front lawn.
Crazy may not be the right word, but you do tend to go a little overboard. You have a different Christmas sweater for each day of the week, snowflakes on your socks and a wreath on the grill of your SUV. You had your tree up three weeks ago and you think the radio stations that started on Thanksgiving Day playing Christmas songs exclusively waited too long.
Add in the blow-the-budget shopping excursions, holiday baking extravaganzas and a little too much tipsy in the eggnog and you might be a Christmas crazy.
Not that there’s anything wrong with you, per se, but not everybody gets it that way. For many people the holidays don’t bring tidings of comfort and joy, but loneliness, depression and grief. For some, this is certainly not the most wonderful time of the year.
A couple of weeks ago one of the dear, faithful ladies in our church suggested we set up a way for people to call in with prayer needs. Those who might need someone to talk to, or simply ask for someone to pray for them or with them ought to know there’s somewhere to go. Someone who cares.
The only thing wrong with this idea is that I didn’t think of it myself.
So here’s what we’re doing. If you want someone to pray for you this season, call our Prayer-Line at 217-632-5937. That’s a number for the First Baptist Church of Petersburg. You can leave as much or as little information about your situation as you wish. If you’d like for someone to contact you and pray personally with you, give us your name and phone number and someone will call you back.
Whatever you’re going through, major stuff or minor. We will pray for you. And we will keep confidential information confidential. Sealed like a vault. Unless you unload something on us that we would legally be required to report. Then we’ll pray extra hard for you!
The holidays can be tough. You may be missing your deceased husband or mother or child or friend like never before. Maybe you’re dealing with a relationship problem that’s tearing you up. It could be a physical illness that’s got you down. You may be under such a financial strain that you feel you’re about to snap.
Perhaps you see everybody else in the world (seemingly) skipping merrily along humming “White Christmas” while carrying Macy’s bags in both arms as they sip a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha on their way to another party you weren’t invited to, and it just makes you sick. You want to experience some of the joy of the season (without being a Christmas crazy), but you can’t.
We’re here for you, friend. We’re standing in the gap for you this season. Ready to take your name, your need to the throne of Almighty God in heaven. The One whose heart aches for you to find rest for your soul in Him. The One who laid down His life so that you could have a new, abundant and eternal life. The One who wants you to know His joy, His peace, His hope and His salvation for yourself.
We want you to know that you are loved! There’s nothing wrong with you for not decorating like you’ve got stock in Illinois Power. It’s ok that you don’t have any desire to see “Miracle on 34th Street” this year.
Call our Prayer-Line. 217-632-5937. Anytime, day or night. We will pray for you.
Crazy may not be the right word, but you do tend to go a little overboard. You have a different Christmas sweater for each day of the week, snowflakes on your socks and a wreath on the grill of your SUV. You had your tree up three weeks ago and you think the radio stations that started on Thanksgiving Day playing Christmas songs exclusively waited too long.
Add in the blow-the-budget shopping excursions, holiday baking extravaganzas and a little too much tipsy in the eggnog and you might be a Christmas crazy.
Not that there’s anything wrong with you, per se, but not everybody gets it that way. For many people the holidays don’t bring tidings of comfort and joy, but loneliness, depression and grief. For some, this is certainly not the most wonderful time of the year.
A couple of weeks ago one of the dear, faithful ladies in our church suggested we set up a way for people to call in with prayer needs. Those who might need someone to talk to, or simply ask for someone to pray for them or with them ought to know there’s somewhere to go. Someone who cares.
The only thing wrong with this idea is that I didn’t think of it myself.
So here’s what we’re doing. If you want someone to pray for you this season, call our Prayer-Line at 217-632-5937. That’s a number for the First Baptist Church of Petersburg. You can leave as much or as little information about your situation as you wish. If you’d like for someone to contact you and pray personally with you, give us your name and phone number and someone will call you back.
Whatever you’re going through, major stuff or minor. We will pray for you. And we will keep confidential information confidential. Sealed like a vault. Unless you unload something on us that we would legally be required to report. Then we’ll pray extra hard for you!
The holidays can be tough. You may be missing your deceased husband or mother or child or friend like never before. Maybe you’re dealing with a relationship problem that’s tearing you up. It could be a physical illness that’s got you down. You may be under such a financial strain that you feel you’re about to snap.
Perhaps you see everybody else in the world (seemingly) skipping merrily along humming “White Christmas” while carrying Macy’s bags in both arms as they sip a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha on their way to another party you weren’t invited to, and it just makes you sick. You want to experience some of the joy of the season (without being a Christmas crazy), but you can’t.
We’re here for you, friend. We’re standing in the gap for you this season. Ready to take your name, your need to the throne of Almighty God in heaven. The One whose heart aches for you to find rest for your soul in Him. The One who laid down His life so that you could have a new, abundant and eternal life. The One who wants you to know His joy, His peace, His hope and His salvation for yourself.
We want you to know that you are loved! There’s nothing wrong with you for not decorating like you’ve got stock in Illinois Power. It’s ok that you don’t have any desire to see “Miracle on 34th Street” this year.
Call our Prayer-Line. 217-632-5937. Anytime, day or night. We will pray for you.
Monday, November 21, 2011
When Life's Billows Rock Your World
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. - Psalm 136:1
When was the last time you used the word “billow” in conversation? It doesn’t come up often with me, either. Except when my wife gets a cold during the night and asks me to get her another “billow, blease.”
A billow is defined by dictionary.com as a great wave or surge of the sea, which must be true because it was on the internet. It could also be used to refer to any surging mass, such as a billow of smoke. You probably knew that. It’s just not a word we use very often. We’re not really sea people around here.
But we can all understand the metaphor of the tumultuous experiences of life being like the great billows of the sea. You may be sailing along just fine upon the surface of quiet waters, when suddenly a storm arises that rocks your world and threatens to throw you overboard. Ever been there?
The death of a loved one. Divorce. Cancer. Depression. The company’s downsizing. Your son calls you from the county jail. The list could go on. The coffee pot’s on the blink.
How do you handle such billows in your life? Where do you go for answers? In whom do you find comfort? Can you make it through the next wave?
There are at least three great hymns of the faith that remind us of God’s goodness and power in the midst of the billows we all face.
One is called “Love Lifted Me.” The third stanza reads:
Souls in danger, look above
Jesus completely saves
He will lift you by His love
Out of the angry waves
He’s the Master of the sea
Billows His will obey
He your Savior wants to be
Be saved today
The billows are no match for the might of the Lord. No matter how high the storm surges, its waves can never overwhelm those whose trust is in the saving power of Christ Jesus. Remember the storm the disciples faced on the open sea? And you remember what happened when Jesus literally rebuked the wind and spoke to the waves saying, “Peace! Be still!” Immediately there was a great calm. Billows His will obey.
Another is the moving story penned by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873. I don’t have room to flesh out the details, but in the wake of the drowning deaths of Spafford’s four daughters, the Lord inspired him to write:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
Somehow in the midst of this unimaginable tragedy, God flooded Spafford’s soul with a peace that passes all understanding. The Lord never says we won’t face sorrows like sea billows, but He promises He will be with us even through the valley of the shadow of death. And the power of His very presence provides peace for our soul.
Then there’s the song we often sing around Thanksgiving entitled, “Count Your Blessings.” This has always been for me a tremendously encouraging hymn. It’s easy to get down, discouraged, frustrated and burdened with the cares of the world, whether they be thrust upon you or self-inflicted. But when we stop even for a moment and think about the blessings God has poured out upon us, we wonder why we should grumble at all.
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings, name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done
So go ahead and start counting! This Thanksgiving remember that the answer for dealing with life’s billows lies in the power and goodness of Almighty God.
When was the last time you used the word “billow” in conversation? It doesn’t come up often with me, either. Except when my wife gets a cold during the night and asks me to get her another “billow, blease.”
A billow is defined by dictionary.com as a great wave or surge of the sea, which must be true because it was on the internet. It could also be used to refer to any surging mass, such as a billow of smoke. You probably knew that. It’s just not a word we use very often. We’re not really sea people around here.
But we can all understand the metaphor of the tumultuous experiences of life being like the great billows of the sea. You may be sailing along just fine upon the surface of quiet waters, when suddenly a storm arises that rocks your world and threatens to throw you overboard. Ever been there?
The death of a loved one. Divorce. Cancer. Depression. The company’s downsizing. Your son calls you from the county jail. The list could go on. The coffee pot’s on the blink.
How do you handle such billows in your life? Where do you go for answers? In whom do you find comfort? Can you make it through the next wave?
There are at least three great hymns of the faith that remind us of God’s goodness and power in the midst of the billows we all face.
One is called “Love Lifted Me.” The third stanza reads:
Souls in danger, look above
Jesus completely saves
He will lift you by His love
Out of the angry waves
He’s the Master of the sea
Billows His will obey
He your Savior wants to be
Be saved today
The billows are no match for the might of the Lord. No matter how high the storm surges, its waves can never overwhelm those whose trust is in the saving power of Christ Jesus. Remember the storm the disciples faced on the open sea? And you remember what happened when Jesus literally rebuked the wind and spoke to the waves saying, “Peace! Be still!” Immediately there was a great calm. Billows His will obey.
Another is the moving story penned by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873. I don’t have room to flesh out the details, but in the wake of the drowning deaths of Spafford’s four daughters, the Lord inspired him to write:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
Somehow in the midst of this unimaginable tragedy, God flooded Spafford’s soul with a peace that passes all understanding. The Lord never says we won’t face sorrows like sea billows, but He promises He will be with us even through the valley of the shadow of death. And the power of His very presence provides peace for our soul.
Then there’s the song we often sing around Thanksgiving entitled, “Count Your Blessings.” This has always been for me a tremendously encouraging hymn. It’s easy to get down, discouraged, frustrated and burdened with the cares of the world, whether they be thrust upon you or self-inflicted. But when we stop even for a moment and think about the blessings God has poured out upon us, we wonder why we should grumble at all.
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings, name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done
So go ahead and start counting! This Thanksgiving remember that the answer for dealing with life’s billows lies in the power and goodness of Almighty God.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Defining Church
Church. Just the very word brings all kinds of ideas to peoples’ minds. Good, bad or ugly, most people have an opinion about church. You probably have some thoughts on the matter yourself. What do you think about when you hear the word “church”?
For most people, a church is a building. It’s the place you go for weddings, funerals and Sunday morning services, at least at Christmas and Easter. If I were to ask you, “Do you belong to a church?” you would probably answer by saying something like, “Yes, I go to the one with the tall steeple on the corner.” It’s the building, the place.
For others, church is religion. Church is mass or communion or baptism or confirmation. Saying your prayers, giving an offering, bringing in some canned goods for the food pantry. It’s what you do to be religious.
Some conjure up images of dusty old songbooks, long, boring sermons (no one at FBC, of course), Christmas pageants, potluck dinners, Vacation Bible School, revivals, stained glass and wooden pews. It’s the activity and events and stuff they think of first.
Can I challenge your thinking for a moment? The Bible doesn’t describe church as a building, as religion, activity or stuff. Jesus defines church as those who give their lives to follow Him. Not just the Sunday morning crowd, but the 24/7 followers. Not just the ones who stick around while the music suits their taste or while the preaching is entertaining, but those who stick with Jesus no matter what and whatever the cost.
In the sixth chapter of the gospel of John, there’s a huge crowd hanging around Jesus. Why? Because they saw the cool stuff He’d been doing, like healing the sick and turning water into wine. Man, that’ll draw a crowd! And so there’s all these people waiting to see what Jesus will do next. And He doesn’t disappoint.
With a gathering of about 5,000 men plus women and children, Jesus starts handing out free food. The people go crazy. Kind of like the celebration in St. Louis after the Cardinals won the World Series. They’re ready to coronate Him as Israel’s king right then and there. Down with the Romans! The Messiah’s finally here!
Except that’s not the kind of kingship Jesus came for. Not yet, anyway. And these weren’t the kind of followers Jesus was after, either. They were only interested as long as the fish fry was on. As long as the bread sticks kept coming to their table. Oh, and could You do that thing where you turn some water into more wine for us, Jesus?
But when Jesus started saying some hard things, the people didn’t stay. When He started teaching them about His Father in heaven who sent Him to be the true bread from heaven, they didn’t like it. When He told them they must feed on His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life, they got a little creeped out.
What Jesus was saying was that to “eat” His flesh meant to believe in Him. And to “drink His blood” is not to be taken literally either. It means to trust in the shedding of His blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus died and rose again so that all of our spiritual hunger and thirst would be fully satisfied in Him. And when we receive His sacrifice for our sins, we also receive the abundant and eternal life He alone can give.
Many of His “followers” walked away that day. They weren’t sold out to Jesus. Just interested in the show. Jesus looked at His closest Twelve disciples and asked them if they wanted to leave, too. Answering for the group, Simon Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).
That’s the church Jesus has in mind. Why not come and truly follow Jesus, and join us in the journey at Petersburg First Baptist Church?
For most people, a church is a building. It’s the place you go for weddings, funerals and Sunday morning services, at least at Christmas and Easter. If I were to ask you, “Do you belong to a church?” you would probably answer by saying something like, “Yes, I go to the one with the tall steeple on the corner.” It’s the building, the place.
For others, church is religion. Church is mass or communion or baptism or confirmation. Saying your prayers, giving an offering, bringing in some canned goods for the food pantry. It’s what you do to be religious.
Some conjure up images of dusty old songbooks, long, boring sermons (no one at FBC, of course), Christmas pageants, potluck dinners, Vacation Bible School, revivals, stained glass and wooden pews. It’s the activity and events and stuff they think of first.
Can I challenge your thinking for a moment? The Bible doesn’t describe church as a building, as religion, activity or stuff. Jesus defines church as those who give their lives to follow Him. Not just the Sunday morning crowd, but the 24/7 followers. Not just the ones who stick around while the music suits their taste or while the preaching is entertaining, but those who stick with Jesus no matter what and whatever the cost.
In the sixth chapter of the gospel of John, there’s a huge crowd hanging around Jesus. Why? Because they saw the cool stuff He’d been doing, like healing the sick and turning water into wine. Man, that’ll draw a crowd! And so there’s all these people waiting to see what Jesus will do next. And He doesn’t disappoint.
With a gathering of about 5,000 men plus women and children, Jesus starts handing out free food. The people go crazy. Kind of like the celebration in St. Louis after the Cardinals won the World Series. They’re ready to coronate Him as Israel’s king right then and there. Down with the Romans! The Messiah’s finally here!
Except that’s not the kind of kingship Jesus came for. Not yet, anyway. And these weren’t the kind of followers Jesus was after, either. They were only interested as long as the fish fry was on. As long as the bread sticks kept coming to their table. Oh, and could You do that thing where you turn some water into more wine for us, Jesus?
But when Jesus started saying some hard things, the people didn’t stay. When He started teaching them about His Father in heaven who sent Him to be the true bread from heaven, they didn’t like it. When He told them they must feed on His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life, they got a little creeped out.
What Jesus was saying was that to “eat” His flesh meant to believe in Him. And to “drink His blood” is not to be taken literally either. It means to trust in the shedding of His blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus died and rose again so that all of our spiritual hunger and thirst would be fully satisfied in Him. And when we receive His sacrifice for our sins, we also receive the abundant and eternal life He alone can give.
Many of His “followers” walked away that day. They weren’t sold out to Jesus. Just interested in the show. Jesus looked at His closest Twelve disciples and asked them if they wanted to leave, too. Answering for the group, Simon Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).
That’s the church Jesus has in mind. Why not come and truly follow Jesus, and join us in the journey at Petersburg First Baptist Church?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Hope for Anybody!
One of my favorite bands has a song that speaks clearly about the compassion of God. Here’s the chorus:
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He’ll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus
I bring this up, because, well, I think that every man and woman, boy and girl ought to have Third Day projects in their music library and on their regular play list. And because this song fits perfectly with what I’ve been preaching in Jonah for the past few weeks. You want to talk about a people who did not deserve God’s compassion, it was Ninevah. They were an evil, wicked and violent mess of humanity. And if you’ve seen the VeggieTales movie, you also know they went around slapping people with fishes.
Did God owe them even a chance to turn away from their sin and believe in Him? No! But He gave it to them because He is a compassionate God. Even for Ninevah there’s grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing. God warned them what would happen if they didn’t repent, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. Like Sodom and Gomorrah not pretty. But when they humbled themselves before God and turned from their wicked ways, the Lord showed that mercy triumphs over judgment.
Speaking of Jonah, did God owe His disobedient prophet a second chance? The one who defiantly shook his puny little finger in the face of Almighty God and said, “No, I will not go to Ninevah! Not gonna happen. I’m outta here.” Hardly. But He gave Jonah another chance to obey. By the way, aren’t you glad that your disobedience to God’s command doesn’t land you in the slimy belly of a great fish? Me, too.
Did the father in the parable of the prodigal son owe his rebellious child a great feast, a pair of new sandals for his feet, a ring for his finger or the best robe he could find for him? The one who took the cash and bolted for a far away land, then wasted it all on sex, drugs and rock n’ roll? No!
Did the woman in Luke 7, the one with a reputation as being (ahem) “a woman of the city,” deserve God’s compassion? Uh, no.
Did the much despised, tax-collecting thief Zaccheus deserve to have Jesus come under his roof and eat with him? Did he deserve Christ’s love and forgiveness?
Did Saul from Tarsus, the self-described “worst of sinners,” a violent persecutor of the church in any way deserve the compassion of the Lord?
I’m telling you – there’s hope for anybody! And let me assure you that there’s not a single person on the planet who is in the least bit deserving of God’s grace and forgiveness. None of us are worthy. There is no one righteous, not even one. Sorry to break it to you, but we all deserve death and hell because we’ve all sinned against a holy and righteous God.
But God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. He proved His love in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And whoever humbles himself before the Lord in repentance and turns in faith to Jesus Christ will be saved. Saved from sin and its wages of death, and saved to abundant and eternal life in Christ.
Maybe nobody’s ever told you this before, so you might want to listen closely: There’s hope for you! Jesus saves! When you cry out to Jesus from wherever you are, you’ll find rest, love, grace, forgiveness, mercy and healing – and so much more!
Of course, if you’d have been listening to Third Day, you’d have known that already! Why not call upon the Lord of compassion right now right where you are?
There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He’ll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus
I bring this up, because, well, I think that every man and woman, boy and girl ought to have Third Day projects in their music library and on their regular play list. And because this song fits perfectly with what I’ve been preaching in Jonah for the past few weeks. You want to talk about a people who did not deserve God’s compassion, it was Ninevah. They were an evil, wicked and violent mess of humanity. And if you’ve seen the VeggieTales movie, you also know they went around slapping people with fishes.
Did God owe them even a chance to turn away from their sin and believe in Him? No! But He gave it to them because He is a compassionate God. Even for Ninevah there’s grace and forgiveness, mercy and healing. God warned them what would happen if they didn’t repent, and it wasn’t going to be pretty. Like Sodom and Gomorrah not pretty. But when they humbled themselves before God and turned from their wicked ways, the Lord showed that mercy triumphs over judgment.
Speaking of Jonah, did God owe His disobedient prophet a second chance? The one who defiantly shook his puny little finger in the face of Almighty God and said, “No, I will not go to Ninevah! Not gonna happen. I’m outta here.” Hardly. But He gave Jonah another chance to obey. By the way, aren’t you glad that your disobedience to God’s command doesn’t land you in the slimy belly of a great fish? Me, too.
Did the father in the parable of the prodigal son owe his rebellious child a great feast, a pair of new sandals for his feet, a ring for his finger or the best robe he could find for him? The one who took the cash and bolted for a far away land, then wasted it all on sex, drugs and rock n’ roll? No!
Did the woman in Luke 7, the one with a reputation as being (ahem) “a woman of the city,” deserve God’s compassion? Uh, no.
Did the much despised, tax-collecting thief Zaccheus deserve to have Jesus come under his roof and eat with him? Did he deserve Christ’s love and forgiveness?
Did Saul from Tarsus, the self-described “worst of sinners,” a violent persecutor of the church in any way deserve the compassion of the Lord?
I’m telling you – there’s hope for anybody! And let me assure you that there’s not a single person on the planet who is in the least bit deserving of God’s grace and forgiveness. None of us are worthy. There is no one righteous, not even one. Sorry to break it to you, but we all deserve death and hell because we’ve all sinned against a holy and righteous God.
But God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. He proved His love in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And whoever humbles himself before the Lord in repentance and turns in faith to Jesus Christ will be saved. Saved from sin and its wages of death, and saved to abundant and eternal life in Christ.
Maybe nobody’s ever told you this before, so you might want to listen closely: There’s hope for you! Jesus saves! When you cry out to Jesus from wherever you are, you’ll find rest, love, grace, forgiveness, mercy and healing – and so much more!
Of course, if you’d have been listening to Third Day, you’d have known that already! Why not call upon the Lord of compassion right now right where you are?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Feeble Saints, God's Grace and Pastor Installation Service
I had the privilege of preaching at the First Baptist Church in Brownstown, IL, this past Sunday morning. The church was celebrating 25 years having my uncle Olen Evans as their pastor. In case you’re keeping score at home, that’s about 22 years beyond the average tenure of pastors in one church these days.
My uncle has been a hero of the faith throughout my life. Right up there with the men and women of God in Hebrews 11. He has been through the fires and trials, the pains and the sorrows, and the persecutions and sufferings that often accompany the way of Christ. And he’s persevered faithfully through it all. Or maybe I should say that the Lord has been faithful to deliver him through it all.
You didn’t think that following Jesus was all candy and roses, did you?
Some seventeen years ago the doctors said there was nothing else they could do for Olen. Kidney failure. Bone marrow disease. You name it, he’s endured it. At one point his weight plummeted to 79 pounds. They gave him six months to live. But rather than destroy him, the disease led him to a deeper dependence upon the Lord. And God delivered him. The result was a greater longing for heaven, a bolder witness on earth and passionate pursuit of holiness.
In his book, Journeys of a Feeble Saint, Olen also chronicles a period of intense spiritual warfare in his life. His family would often receive threatening phone calls. Doors would slam shut when no one else was around. Their dog’s neck had been sliced open. A family portrait was discovered with all their faces blacked out and a slash mark across my uncle’s throat. They found countless signs of intruders in the house with no forced entry. His family often felt the presence of evil around them. They came home once to find the words “Satan Lives” spray painted in large black letters on their house and occult symbols on the inside.
You didn’t think pastors were immune to danger, did you?
It’s not for no reason that the Bible admonishes us to “put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). It’s not in vain that we’re warned that our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Jesus assured His disciples that just as the people of His day hated Him, they would hate His followers also. He told them plainly that the day would come when they would be put to death on account of His name. No wonder He says that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny himself, take up his cross and follow. “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35).
You didn’t think the narrow road that leads to life would be a picnic, did you?
And yet God gives us the grace and the power for victory over the adversary. My uncle is a living testimony of faith in the Lord, and of God’s mercy, goodness, power and faithfulness to deliver him through it all.
I wish I had more room to tell you about how he has personally been an encouragement in my life. Maybe some other time.
I am excited to tell you that he will be bringing the message this Sunday afternoon, November 6, at 3:00 for the Pastor Installation Service at Petersburg First Baptist Church. I’m not real sure what an installation service is. I know what it means to install a microwave oven or a water heater, but how to install a pastor? Guess I’ll find out this Sunday. You can, too. Come and be our guest!
My uncle has been a hero of the faith throughout my life. Right up there with the men and women of God in Hebrews 11. He has been through the fires and trials, the pains and the sorrows, and the persecutions and sufferings that often accompany the way of Christ. And he’s persevered faithfully through it all. Or maybe I should say that the Lord has been faithful to deliver him through it all.
You didn’t think that following Jesus was all candy and roses, did you?
Some seventeen years ago the doctors said there was nothing else they could do for Olen. Kidney failure. Bone marrow disease. You name it, he’s endured it. At one point his weight plummeted to 79 pounds. They gave him six months to live. But rather than destroy him, the disease led him to a deeper dependence upon the Lord. And God delivered him. The result was a greater longing for heaven, a bolder witness on earth and passionate pursuit of holiness.
In his book, Journeys of a Feeble Saint, Olen also chronicles a period of intense spiritual warfare in his life. His family would often receive threatening phone calls. Doors would slam shut when no one else was around. Their dog’s neck had been sliced open. A family portrait was discovered with all their faces blacked out and a slash mark across my uncle’s throat. They found countless signs of intruders in the house with no forced entry. His family often felt the presence of evil around them. They came home once to find the words “Satan Lives” spray painted in large black letters on their house and occult symbols on the inside.
You didn’t think pastors were immune to danger, did you?
It’s not for no reason that the Bible admonishes us to “put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). It’s not in vain that we’re warned that our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Jesus assured His disciples that just as the people of His day hated Him, they would hate His followers also. He told them plainly that the day would come when they would be put to death on account of His name. No wonder He says that anyone who wants to follow Him must deny himself, take up his cross and follow. “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35).
You didn’t think the narrow road that leads to life would be a picnic, did you?
And yet God gives us the grace and the power for victory over the adversary. My uncle is a living testimony of faith in the Lord, and of God’s mercy, goodness, power and faithfulness to deliver him through it all.
I wish I had more room to tell you about how he has personally been an encouragement in my life. Maybe some other time.
I am excited to tell you that he will be bringing the message this Sunday afternoon, November 6, at 3:00 for the Pastor Installation Service at Petersburg First Baptist Church. I’m not real sure what an installation service is. I know what it means to install a microwave oven or a water heater, but how to install a pastor? Guess I’ll find out this Sunday. You can, too. Come and be our guest!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Adjusting to Life in Petersburg
Note: The following article has been submitted for publication in this week's Petersburg Observer.
I want to say thank you to the community of Petersburg for welcoming our family into town. You have received us warmly and have helped us settle in. Wish I had room to tell you how the First Baptist Church has gone out of their way to make our move smooth. We are grateful for the kindness and love they’ve shown us already.
I’ll also say that the school administrators and teachers have been helpful in getting our boys transitioned into a new school. I hope it’s OK to send a special shout out to Mr. Kesler at PORTA Central. He and I are both products of Robinson High School from the 80’s – long hair, short basketball shorts and all. Go Maroons!
Other local pastors and just plain old everyday people have also dropped by or sent a note in the mail to welcome us. Even Petersburg’s “Citizen of the Year” brought over some food on the day we moved in. I think it was Judy’s casserole that sealed the nomination.
On top of all that, Petersburg, you truly have a beautiful town. The picturesque view that greets traffic coming in from the east is nothing short of brilliant.
We’ve been here since mid-August and have enjoyed the various events, activities and businesses Petersburg offers. Compared to the rural farming village from which we came, we’re actually quite impressed with such a smorgasborg of eating options in town. The nearest Pizza Hut or Dairy Queen was about 20 miles away. The nearest Leo’s Pizza or Gillmore’s was about 230 miles, so it’s like we’re big city all of sudden here. Sure beats the QuikMart gas station sandwich – no offense to Casey’s or Ayerco.
By the way, I knew we were arriving in the world when I saw on the Petersburg First Baptist Church website that they were located “one block west of the only stoplight in town.” The only lights in our entire county were the flashing stop sign at the crossroads, and the strobe light flickering from one of the taverns on Saturday nights.
Now, before all the warm and fuzzies fade, I think it’s important to mention the name of the town from which we moved. It’s Ridgway. While that may be of no significance to most readers, some of you have already recognized the connection and that’s why your brow has furrowed and your upper lip is snarled.
Honestly, I wasn’t there in 1973, and I had nothing to do with the fact that the Ridgway Eagles defeated Petersburg PORTA 85-79 in the state basketball tournament. So please don’t hold that against me. I am bound however by the folks in Ridgway to be sure to let you know that they said “Hi.”
Seriously, that was almost 40 years ago. You have gotten over it, haven’t you? If you ever do go to Ridgway, be sure to see the large painted mural on the side of the old grocery store building reminding its residents and visitors alike of their 1973 championship season.
So anyway, thanks for giving us a kind reception into Petersburg. I truly believe the Lord has brought us here for a purpose, and that somehow He’ll use us to glorify His name, to strengthen His church, and to reach our neighbors and the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you’re looking for a church home, come see us at Petersburg First Baptist Church. Jesus calls His church “the light of the world” and compares her to a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. That’s who we are and want to continually live up to be. Join us for Sunday morning worship at 10:45. We’re pretty easy to find, just one block west of the only stoplight in town.
I want to say thank you to the community of Petersburg for welcoming our family into town. You have received us warmly and have helped us settle in. Wish I had room to tell you how the First Baptist Church has gone out of their way to make our move smooth. We are grateful for the kindness and love they’ve shown us already.
I’ll also say that the school administrators and teachers have been helpful in getting our boys transitioned into a new school. I hope it’s OK to send a special shout out to Mr. Kesler at PORTA Central. He and I are both products of Robinson High School from the 80’s – long hair, short basketball shorts and all. Go Maroons!
Other local pastors and just plain old everyday people have also dropped by or sent a note in the mail to welcome us. Even Petersburg’s “Citizen of the Year” brought over some food on the day we moved in. I think it was Judy’s casserole that sealed the nomination.
On top of all that, Petersburg, you truly have a beautiful town. The picturesque view that greets traffic coming in from the east is nothing short of brilliant.
We’ve been here since mid-August and have enjoyed the various events, activities and businesses Petersburg offers. Compared to the rural farming village from which we came, we’re actually quite impressed with such a smorgasborg of eating options in town. The nearest Pizza Hut or Dairy Queen was about 20 miles away. The nearest Leo’s Pizza or Gillmore’s was about 230 miles, so it’s like we’re big city all of sudden here. Sure beats the QuikMart gas station sandwich – no offense to Casey’s or Ayerco.
By the way, I knew we were arriving in the world when I saw on the Petersburg First Baptist Church website that they were located “one block west of the only stoplight in town.” The only lights in our entire county were the flashing stop sign at the crossroads, and the strobe light flickering from one of the taverns on Saturday nights.
Now, before all the warm and fuzzies fade, I think it’s important to mention the name of the town from which we moved. It’s Ridgway. While that may be of no significance to most readers, some of you have already recognized the connection and that’s why your brow has furrowed and your upper lip is snarled.
Honestly, I wasn’t there in 1973, and I had nothing to do with the fact that the Ridgway Eagles defeated Petersburg PORTA 85-79 in the state basketball tournament. So please don’t hold that against me. I am bound however by the folks in Ridgway to be sure to let you know that they said “Hi.”
Seriously, that was almost 40 years ago. You have gotten over it, haven’t you? If you ever do go to Ridgway, be sure to see the large painted mural on the side of the old grocery store building reminding its residents and visitors alike of their 1973 championship season.
So anyway, thanks for giving us a kind reception into Petersburg. I truly believe the Lord has brought us here for a purpose, and that somehow He’ll use us to glorify His name, to strengthen His church, and to reach our neighbors and the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
If you’re looking for a church home, come see us at Petersburg First Baptist Church. Jesus calls His church “the light of the world” and compares her to a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. That’s who we are and want to continually live up to be. Join us for Sunday morning worship at 10:45. We’re pretty easy to find, just one block west of the only stoplight in town.
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