Forgiveness & Healing

Today we celebrated communion with our church family. It was one of those beautiful services that far exceeded its planning. During the passing of the bread, we were instructed to exchange our element with someone else as a way of saying that I am praising God to be in relationship with you. My dear deacon friend and I about bumped into each other as we turned to head down the aisle to find someone to exchange our bread with. He then extended his bread to me and embraced me in a bear hug. I don't ever recall sensing such a deep emotion of brotherly agape love as I did this morning. As we then took the bread together I was keenly aware that my brother & I were only in relationship because of Jesus Christ's death for us. Deep gratitude. When it came time for the cup we were instructed to go to someone who we had offended and to exchange our cups and seek forgiveness. I have to stop here & confess that I had really let both of my older sons have it earlier that morning and we were NOT in fellowship. I was right but I was wrong too. I immediately found my son Zack, exchanged cups and hugged his neck and wept. I told him that I loved him through my tears. I then headed to the balcony where Paul Jr. was manning the sound system. There was a crowd of people in that narrow side aisle. When I finally navigated the sea of folks without spilling my cup I looked up to see my boy coming to me! He made his way down the stairs to make things right with his dad. The tears just kept on falling as forgiveness was exchanged and relationships mended. The amazing thing is that this was taking place all over the sanctuary! We wrapped it up by singing, "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God..." Because of Jesus Christ's atoning death, the Church of the Wildwood experienced first hand forgiveness and healing. I've never been so thankful.

God's Veto

This past winter, I took my semi-annual study break for a week. One of my deacons and dear friends gave me the keys to his mountain home. I was all set for a week of fasting, prayer, & solitude. The day before I was to leave, my wife came to me with a request. She almost never asks anything of me so I was excited to grant her wish...until she asked. She expressed concern for my son Zack. We didn't have his heart, I didn't have his heart. Beth wasn't sure she could handle him alone for a week. 14 and full of hormones and savage mood swings - not unlike his father at that age. Well that pretty much canned my idea for all of the above except prayer. I didn't figure Zack could go five hours without eating much less five days. I knew this was the will of God but I was disappointed. I was going away to make sure that God had my heart but God needed me to go to make sure that I had my son's heart. We laughed, shopped for food, played rummy till 3am. We did life together for 5 days. I learned how much I loved my son and he learned that too. No, I didn't have the mountain top experience with the Lord directly as I was planning. But Zack and I had a blast just doing life together. The change in Zack since that week has been astounding. He is respectful and is really trying to be honoring. His work ethic has sky rocketed. A contractor friend of mine hired him for two days of hard labor. The man told me later that he never met a young man that could keep up with him until he worked with Zack.

Thank you Father God for my son Zack in whom I am well pleased. Thank you for using your veto power over my plans only to exchange them for your blessings. May all the glory be reflected to your throne!

Sammy Boy in his "Hunting Hat"

A Wedding Done Right

What a Wedding! I had the extreme privilege to officiate the wedding of one of our fine young men and his betrothed last Saturday. So wonderful was their journey to the Marriage altar that I literally had to re-write the entire wedding ceremony. The first time they held hands, kissed, or embraced we were wittiness to on Saturday. Their first date was their honeymoon. The anticipation was nearly overwhelming as the groom beamed as his beloved made her way to him. I had the bride and her father stop at the base of the stage. I was able to declare to the hundreds in attendance that the Church has been in Egypt for too long. We have ceased being salt and light and are now being influenced by our culture - especially in the area of dating and relationships. We have drunk deeply from the well of worldly wisdom and we are reaping what we have sowed in the destruction of Christian families.
We then had the giving away of the bride AND the confirmation of the groom. I asked, "Who has prepared this man for the covenant of marriage and declares him qualified to take a wife?" The Groom's father, also the best man, replied, "I have". He then expressed his pride in his son's journey to this point and his joy at his son's character. Then the father told the groom, "Son, go get your bride." The groom literally bounded down the stairs! His father in law then joined their hands together for the first time and said, "We've had her for 19 years. I now transfer my authority and headship over her to you" He then prayed a beautiful blessing over them.
When they finally kissed it was amazing! Tender & respectful yet full of anticipation and wonder! The way it should be. There were two very successful business men in attendance who were associates of the Groom's father. They sought me out after the ceremony and had one burning question - "If this continues to happen, will it mean that there is a glimmer of hope for our nation?" These guys were heaven and hell serious. To look at two seasoned men who witnessed the power of a multi generational vision of faithfulness being lived out and now reproduced in the life of these families. With great confidence I assured them that our sons & daughters could be the beginning of hope for this fallen nation. These successful and worldly wise men were wiping away tears of hope as I shared the gospel with them.
How awesome is our God and his righteous plan for his children! To God be all the glory!

Boundaries & Bridges

Welcome to "Boundaries & Bridges" - The musings of a Husband, Father and Pastor. My title comes from a conversation with one of my best friends. We were talking about the need for boundaries in our own lives and in the lives of our families. We are responsible for daily "fence maintenance" in relation to what we allow in the life of our family. There are things that we want to keep in and those that we must keep out. Then there is the need to build bridges. As men, we need to be spanning the gaps of life and building bridges to needful places and people both for us and for our families. One of the key bridges that I am building is to our local church family. I need other good men to do life with and who will help me with both boundaries and bridges. We are so very fortunate to be a part of a household integrated fellowship that holds us men to account for being the Pastors of our respective homes. May the God of the Bible aid and strengthen you as you build your "Boundaries & Bridges"