Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

Remembering

            I slept in this morning and it sure felt nice. When I woke up, I lay in bed and enjoyed the peacefulness. I didn’t have to rush anywhere. I ate a leisurely breakfast and then sat quietly on my front porch. It was a cool morning with a light drizzle. My prayers were lazy but filled with thanksgiving. I started to think about what I was going to write, but was not in a hurry to start.

            Why was I afforded such a wonderful morning? Today, as I write, it is Memorial Day. I know that I only work part-time now, but it is still nice to have a day off. The reason I was given this opportunity is because today is a day that we remember those who sacrificed their lives to give us the chance to live in this great land. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and many around the world wish they could live here.

            As I spent time reflecting on those who gave their lives, I began to think about those who were left behind. When someone in our military dies while on active duty, they leave behind loved ones who must deal with the tragic loss. There are children whose parent is not returning. There is the spouse who must pick up the pieces. There are siblings with holes in their hearts. There are parents who must face burying their children. The pain and grief these families must bear so we can live in a land of freedom must never be forgotten.

            I did a Google search this morning on the number of military deaths that have occurred. These numbers include deaths from battle, infections, and diseases while in service. These numbers are estimates, and in most cases I took the lower end of the estimates. Over 25,000 from the Revolutionary War. Over 620,000 from the Civil War. Over 116,000 from World War I. Over 407,000 from World War II. That is over one million people who died while serving our country. That’s a lot of families who sacrificed greatly so we could live in this great land of ours. We owe a great debt of gratitude to these families.

            When it comes down to it, freedom really isn’t free. Those families paid the highest price so we can live in America. We all come from different backgrounds, have varying political stances, and even different religious beliefs, but on this one thing we can be united. We must honor those who paid with their lives or their loved ones lives so we can live free in America.

            When it comes to those who gave their lives for us, we as Christians owe a debt to those who paid with their lives so we can have the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that most of the disciples were martyred for their faith. Peter was crucified upside down. Tradition holds that Paul was beheaded. Some early Christians were imprisoned, tortured, or fed to the lions.

            There are many people throughout history who were mistreated in order to spread the Good News. These people gave everything to give us the opportunity to have a relationship with God through Jesus. Jesus paid the highest price to repair our broken relationship with God. Jesus was beaten with 39 lashings so we could be healed from all our emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual brokenness. His blood bought our forgiveness. He made a way for us to walk into the Father’s presence without fear, worry, guilt, or shame.

            It is hard to believe that there are still places in our world today where believing in Jesus could cost you your life. There are places where the Bible is a banned book. There are places where if you are caught together with other believers worshipping Jesus you could be imprisoned. We must remember the missionaries who are still putting their lives on the line to share the hope of Jesus with a lost world.

            Memorial Day should remind us to pray for the families of those who gave their lives for our country. I also want to encourage you to pray for missionaries from your church and others who are out there on the front lines sharing Jesus with the lost. They need the Holy Spirit’s help and guidance if they hope to make a difference. I hope their sacrifice will embolden us to share our faith with those who are living in darkness. People need the Lord. We are the light of the world…let’s let our lights shine in our little corner of the world.  

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Who is He?

            Have you ever been out and you see someone you know…but they are out of place so you don’t remember how you know them? You know them from somewhere, but you just can’t place them. Then this person sees you and greets you warmly. Naturally, you return the greeting just as warmly…still trying to place them. Has this ever happened to you? It happens to me more often than I want to admit.

            My wife tells me it’s because I know so many people. I talk to the stockers in the grocery stores. I talk to waiters and waitresses. I know my cashiers. There are so many people in my professional life that I knew from East Davidson. We have been out of state and people have come up and greeted me. My wife once asked, “Is there any place we can go where someone doesn’t know you?”

            Remembering names has always been a problem for me. I will also go blank at the absolute wrong time. I once went to introduce my pastor and couldn’t come up with his name. He laughed so hard at me. Being a teacher makes this flaw very challenging. I go to call on a student and the name won’t come to me. It drives me crazy!

            I know that I am not the only one who struggles to remember names. I have seasons when I remember names really well, and then there are days that no one’s name comes to mind. Okay, that is a bit extreme, but I wish I could change this part of myself. I want to show honor to people by remembering their names.

            I find it interesting that God is called by many different names. Often the name is related to a quality about God that we need in our lives at a particular time. For example, one of the names of God is Jehovah Jireh, which means God our provider. God provides for His people. Sometimes God will test us to see if we will believe and trust Him, especially in this area. God has always met our needs through the good times and the financially lean times. He is and has always been faithful.

            If you are struggling with your health, you may turn to Jehovah Rapha, which means the Lord who heals us. We have all been in places where we needed God’s healing touch for ourselves or a loved one. We cry out to God for His healing touch. I have witnessed and know people who have received a miraculous touch from God.

            Some people may be calling out to Jehovah Shalom, the God who is our peace. If you find yourself struggling with worry, anxiety, or depression, then you need Jehovah Shalom to bring you the peace of God, which transcends all understanding. God does not want you to live in mental distress because He can provide the peace you need in your daily life. Even when life seems to be turned upside down, you can live in God’s perfect peace.

            I think one of my favorite terms for God comes from what many Jewish children call their father, Papa. The Bible uses the term Abba. It is an intimate term. I believe in the crazy world in which we find ourselves living many of us might need to call out to our Abba, Papa. I was unfamiliar with the name Papa because I refer to my father as Dad. During a season of my life when I was seeking a deeper intimacy with God I started calling Him Daddy. Some may wonder how I could call God Almighty Daddy, but I believe it reflects His desire to draw closer to us. I believe that God wants us to crawl up into His arms and allow Him to pour out His deep love upon us.

            Whatever your need in life, I want to encourage you to see God as the One who met you at your place of need. He is God Almighty, yet He desires to draw closer to us. He wants to reveal more of Himself to us. He wants us to see Him as the God who will meet our needs. No request is too big or too small. He wanted a deeper relationship with us so badly that He made His Son pay the price for us. Our salvation and relationship with God cost Him dearly. The good news is that God has opened the door to anyone who will open their hearts to Him. Who is God to me? He is my Daddy. There is room in His arms for you, too!   

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Gardening this Year

            It is a busy time for gardeners. It’s time to get the vegetable garden ready for a new season of growing. That means pulling the weeds, running the tiller through the beds, and getting everything planted. A gardener also has to go to garden centers and find all the plants and seeds. It is an exciting and hopeful time. It is a wonderful time of the year!

            We also need to trim the bushes and get our annual flowers planted. There is more weeding to do in the flower beds. Have I told you that I do not like weeding? It’s my least favorite gardening task, but I have to admit I like the way things look when all the weeds are cleaned out and fresh mulch is applied. I am glad for the longer days and the opportunity to work outside in the yard.

            My gardening excitement this year has been tempered. Several weeks ago, I was working outside and I took a tumble, landing on my back. I lay there for a minute. Getting up was not easy. A massage therapist I went to once taught me some back stretching exercises in which I slowly engaged. It has been a very s-l-o-w but gradual recovery. I saw a new massage therapist who shared her gift with me and helped to ease the pain and move me closer to recovery.

            While there is no good time to have pain, I have explained to several people that this is a terrible time to be struggling with back pain. There is so much work that needs to be done outside, but I am limited on what I can do. I have recovered enough that I can handle carrying groceries and light items. I can drag heavier things, but still I have to be careful doing that, too. No matter how careful I am, by the evening my back is sore, which makes me tired and weary.

            Because of the pain, I have had to approach my vegetable garden differently this year. I normally run the tiller through my raised vegetable beds. I till in the leaves and some new soil, preparing a great place for my new vegetables to grow. I couldn’t run the tiller this spring because of my back. This year I pulled the leaves back and mixed in some bags of soil and then planted my seeds and transplants. I am leaving the leaves around what I planted in hopes they will help keep the weeds down. I have heard of this idea; it’s called no till gardening. I haven’t tried it before, but necessity led to experimentation.

            It’s challenging when we are forced into changes. I want to garden as I always have, but pain forced me to make some changes. I do believe that God is still in the healing business today. I have experienced healing and seen too many healings of others to believe otherwise. But I also firmly believe that God will lead us through things because He wants to teach us more about Himself. He wants me to know that His grace is sufficient for me. He wants me to know that He will always be with me.

            Some may wonder why God didn’t protect me, but I argue that God did protect me from something far greater that the enemy wanted to do to me. God did something miraculous a few days after my fall. He gave me a supernatural peace. I struggle to maintain my peace at times in life, but I have felt His presence as I have struggled to recover. He has helped me to do some things…slowly. I have also had to humble myself and ask for some help, which I am very bad at doing. These are important lessons that I have been learning.

            The bottom line for me is this: I believe that God is actively involved in our lives but sometimes we have to look a little harder to find Him. I want to encourage you as you are going through your struggles…and I know we all have them…to look closer and see God in the middle of them. He is the God who will see you through your struggles. He loves you, but He wants you to learn more about who He is for you in the midst of your struggles. He cares for you. He will see you through to the other side. He is faithful. He is the Master Gardener who wants to produce fruit in your life. Let Him work the soil in your life and produce a harvest for His Kingdom.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Love and Appreciation

            Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers! Prayers and blessings to all those who hope to be mothers. Peace and grace to all those mothers who are missing their little ones. Mother’s Day can evoke many emotions, from love, joy, and happiness, to various levels of sadness. While it is considered a happy occasion, it can be difficult for some.

            My siblings and I were lucky kids because God gave us a great mother. She gave each of us tons of love as we grew. She encouraged us to spread our wings and fly when it was time to leave the nest. She has been a cheerleader for all of her kids as we have all experienced successful launches. If you are lucky as I am, then you are blessed to have a good mother.

            My mom is the news keeper for our family. My siblings and I are all busy and while we keep in touch we don’t know everything that is going on in each other’s families. That’s where my mom plays a vital role; I affectionately refer to her as News Central. If something is going on in the family, just check in with News Central; she has all the details. So when we visit or call my mom we all find out what is happening elsewhere in the family. There is great comfort in knowing you are in the family information loop.

            While we are blessed with good mothers, God must have decided to bless my wife and me twice when it comes to mothers in our lives. When I was at college I ran into a bad living situation. An older couple decided to step in and help me out. They invited me to live with them for a semester. They became my “adopted parents.” My wife and I were close with them while we were in college. They shared dinners with us and took us on many adventures. We have many great memories of time spent together. We have stayed in contact with them since we were in college.  

            Our parents and adopted parents have been a great blessing in our lives. In return, we have strived to show our love and appreciation to them. We visit with them, try to be helpful, call, and send cards. It is important to give back and express our love and appreciation to those who gave so much to us.

            The question that rolls around in my mind is, how do we show God how much we love and appreciate Him? You can’t send Him cards. You can’t take a trip “home” for a long weekend or for the holidays. I know we can “call” Him, but aren’t those calls reserved for needs and emergencies? What can you offer and bring to God as a gift when He owns everything?

            I think we begin by talking to Him like we would our best friend. Tell Him what is in our heart. Tell Him about our hopes and dreams. Tell Him about our day. Thank Him for our many blessings. Thank Him for all He has given us. Thank Him for the special people in our life. Maybe, if we dare, ask Him about His day. Ask Him what is on His heart. Ask Him if He would like to talk with us about something. Talking with God is a two way street. Listening for His voice is critical.

            Next, I wonder what can I give God? I think we begin by giving thanks and praise to Him. Praise Him for the sunrise or sunset. Praise Him for the beauty in creation. Praise Him for saving your soul. Just praise Him with all your heart. Let that lead you into worship. He deserves your praise and worship. He is the God of all creation. Express your love and gratitude to God. These are things He doesn’t have until you offer them to Him.

            There are so many ways to show God how much you love Him, including reading the Bible and getting to know Him. I want to encourage you to demonstrate your love by expressing your heart-felt praise and thanksgiving to Him. Talk to Him any time you want during the day. You don’t have to be in a special place because He is everywhere. When you think about Him in the middle of your busy day, just send Him a little “Hello” which will bless His heart. God loves you unconditionally and He proved it by sending Jesus into the world. Let your heart respond to His great love.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Work Rest Balance

            I have worked with people who watched the clock and when it was time to go, they were gone. I never watched the clock that closely. Granted, there were times that I left as soon as I could, but that was the exception. Generally, I put in many more hours than was expected and I know I was not the exception. There are many teachers who put in long hours.

            I think I may have had workaholic tendencies. For most of my career I put in way too many hours. It wasn’t until I was winding down my career that I began to develop a better work-life balance. I have been retired for nearly six years now and my former school still goes on. Soon it will be time for prom, reviews for the final exams, and another graduation. All that will continue and I am not there.

            Of course, teachers are not the only profession with workaholics. Doctors, lawyers, firefighters, and the list goes on. There are people in every career field who could be considered workaholics. The employers may like it, but it is not healthy. That mindset can take a toll on your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. We have to learn to take a step back and figure out how to create a better balance so we can live a fulfilling life.

            Jesus and the Old Testament both teach us the value of resting. In the Old Testament the Jewish people were told to take a Sabbath day. This was a day of rest, reflection, prayer, and a time to reconnect with family and friends. In other words, the people were encouraged to slow down and enjoy life and each other. The Sabbath day was a call to connect with God. To rest in His presence. To be refreshed.

            Jesus would have obeyed the command to rest on the Sabbath. Jesus went to the temple on the Sabbath. Jesus healed people in the temple on the Sabbath. Jesus taught on the Sabbath. Jesus taught His listeners about the love of God. After Jesus fed the five thousand, He dismissed the crowds, sent His disciples away in a boat, and then went up into the hills to a quiet place to pray, rest, and be refreshed.

            Jesus understands our need to rest. He calls to us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” He knows and understands that life has a way of taking a toll on us. In those moments, He calls to us to come to Him where we can find rest and peace. God wants to meet with us and lift our burdens, comfort us, restore us, and renew our strength.

            Running to Jesus is not a call for us to be selfish, self-centered, or self-indulgent. He calls us to Himself to be refreshed and renewed so we can be ready to serve in His Kingdom. The reason for any self-care is preparation. Jesus wants us to take good care of our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing so we can be ready to fulfill His purposes. If we allow ourselves to get burned out, how are we going to be useful to Him? Being ready for service is the purpose for self-care.

            The struggle is developing a balance in our lives. Is it okay to take a break and go on vacation? Yes, we all need time to get away. Does God expect you to do and be a part of everything? No, but He expects you to connect with others in the family of God where you can be encouraged and challenged to grow deeper in your relationship with Jesus and where you can do the same for others. He also wants you to be in prayer and His Word every day so you can develop a closer relationship with Him. There are so many things pulling and distracting us from being with God. Connecting with God will help us maintain a balanced life.

            I want to encourage you to examine your life and see if things are out of balance. If you have allowed things to distract you from maintaining your spiritual life and connection with God, then it’s time to get life back in balance. A life centered around God is a healthy life. A God centered life will give you peace, joy, strength, energy, and a purpose. There will be more opportunities to be used by God if you draw close to Him. He wants you rested and refreshed so you will be ready to serve Him. 

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

            I was invited by a reader to come and speak at her church’s community senior’s group. Mt. Gilead church is located near Sophia. They invite local seniors to join their members for a nice lunch and a guest speaker. I was honored to be invited as their speaker. Actually, I was scheduled to speak back in February, but we got snowed out.

            It was a beautiful day to drive out to the church. It was down some twisty roads in the rolling part of Randolph County. The drive was so peaceful and the people were so welcoming. I spoke before we ate so I kept a close eye on the time. The aroma of the food wafting from the kitchen made my mouth water.

            I started off my presentation by honoring a man, Tom Watson, who was buried not far from where I was speaking. I had never met the man, only talked with him on the phone years ago. He took about thirty minutes of his life to listen to my dreams about writing and encouraged me to contact a local paper and begin writing to build my skills. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t be writing as I am today. I wanted to honor him.

            Next, I told them about a time when I was looking for a new church. I told them about some churches where no one spoke to me or welcomed me to their church. I talked to them about the importance of having greeters at the door. I also reminded them it is everyone’s responsibility to make visitors feel welcome. Why would someone want to join a church where they didn’t feel welcome when they walked in the door?

            The main message I shared with my listeners is the need every church has for spiritual grandparents. I explained to them that God does not have a retirement plan. In the room that day sat incredible wisdom, life experiences, and testimonies to God’s faithfulness. I told them that there were people in their church that needed to hear their stories. Your story can change someone’s life. We just have to be brave enough to share our experiences with others.

            I illustrated my point by talking about the stages of life. I asked them to remember being newlyweds and having their first argument and how it felt like the world was going to end. I asked them to remember what it was like to have your first baby and all the worries. Then consider the terrible teen years or becoming empty nesters. These were just a few of the many stages of life they had all navigated and survived. Their stories could help others.

            Speaking of survival, I told them that I knew there had to be some cancer survivors in that group. I asked them to remember the devastating day when the doctor told them they had cancer, but here they were survivors. I told them that there were people in their church who either recently received or would receive that same news and how their testimony of survival could make a huge difference in those people’s lives.

            I encouraged the older men to invite the younger guys along on a fishing or hunting trip. There is so much that can be imparted in a casual, relaxed environment. Just being in fellowship opens the door of opportunity to pour into each other’s lives. I told the older women that the younger women needed their guidance on how to balance work, family, social, and church life. I told the women that younger women look up to them and because of their experiences might find it easy to talk with them about life’s ups and downs. All retirees can be great role models for younger folks, a source of encouragement, and powerful prayer partners.

            If you find yourself like me being put in the category of being a retiree or a senior, then let me encourage you to step up and offer your stories of God’s goodness and faithfulness to the next generation. Your stories need to be told. People need to know that God still comes through for us. He’s still in the saving business. He’s still in the fixing business. He still forgives and restores us. He cares, listens and works on our behalf. We have to have faith and trust Him. He is the all-powerful God of the impossible! Nothing is too difficult for Him. No one is beyond the reach of His love. We all have stories and testimonies to share. Let’s open our hearts and lives to others and allow Him to use us.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Another Year

            I received a text from a friend this week congratulating me on another safe trip around the sun. He was wishing me a happy birthday. I enjoy having birthdays until we get to the year when I have to put a zero at the end of my age. I don’t like changing decades. Thankfully, this was a non-decade changing birthday.

            Age is just a number. It’s more important how you feel and how well your body is holding up. The reality is that as we add years there are some side effects. One of the things I’ve noticed is that I need to sit down and rest a little more often while working in the yard.

            I still feel young when I am teaching at school. My students think of me as “older,” and compared to some of them, I guess I am. I think the prime of life seems to be the twenties, thirties, and forties. I am also discovering why we need to retire. It takes longer to do certain tasks so we need to retire to allow more time to get things done.

            When I mention any of this to my parents, who are both in their 90’s, they tell me that things change considerably after you cross the 90 mark. While my parents both have good days and bad days, I think they are doing well for their age.

I qualify for a senior discount but I haven’t asked for it yet. I have received the discount at Harris Teeter a couple of times and I have to admit that I liked it. It is a small savings so I am not sure what I would do with it. I guess I need to start taking advantage of the opportunities this white hair on my head has earned for me.

There is one other thing I have noticed about being older. Time seems to be moving more quickly. It seems like we just finished putting Christmas away and here we are at Easter. We’ll blink and be at the Fourth of July. Then fall breezes will begin to blow. Once fall arrives, we will be back in the holiday season. We need to slow time down! I need to get my garden planted. I am dreaming of my first tomatoes.

I realize we can’t slow time down. We can only choose to live in the moment and enjoy the time God has given us. Easter is here! My wife and I both love spring, watching Mother Nature come alive and seeing the beauty blossom in front of us. There are streets lined with dogwoods that I will purposely drive down to enjoy their beauty. The azaleas have been beautiful this year. I love and appreciate spring’s beauty.

It seems appropriate that Easter falls in spring. Jesus died on Good Friday and then rose from the grave on Easter morning. Earth’s awakening each spring should remind us of the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus paid the price for all of our sins. We are forgiven and we can now have a relationship with God the Father because Jesus paid for all our debts.

I taught children’s church last Sunday and one of the kids mentioned that Jesus went to heaven when He died. I told the kids that Jesus didn’t go straight to heaven but that He actually went to hell. They looked at me in shock. I told them that He had to go down there to let Satan and all the demons know that He had fulfilled God’s plan and redeemed mankind. He took back the keys of life and death and set the captives free.

I thought about that interaction with the children. Jesus paid the price for all my sin through His shed blood. Jesus paid for my healing through His broken body. Jesus has opened the prison doors to all who find themselves trapped by depression, anxiety, and/or addiction. Jesus set the captives free. Jesus restored the broken relationship between God and mankind. Jesus gave each one of us access to grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, joy, and God’s unconditional love.

I want to encourage you to open your heart to God this Easter. He offers you life and hope in exchange for your brokenness. The gift of Easter is a restored relationship with your Heavenly Father. Whatever age or stage of life you find yourself walking in today, God wants to be a part of your life. He opened the door and paid the price for you. All you have to do is receive this precious gift, which leads to eternal life with God in heaven.   

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

I gave the sermon at our church a few weeks ago. I taught on teamwork. It is not your conventional sermon. We were preparing to launch a new vision for our church and my Pastor wanted me to introduce the new series with a focus on the idea that we need everyone to help fulfill our new mission. You can skip forward until you see me come on stage. ENJOY!!!

By Doug Creamer

Spring Spruce Up

            Our church has two Saturdays each spring when we get our members together to do some spring cleaning and sprucing up. There is usually a crew that works inside the building and then a crew that works outside. I am always on the outside crew. We will weed, trim bushes, plant flowers, blow off the parking lot, and put some fresh pine needles down. We share a good time of fellowship while we work together.

            I prefer to work outside, weather permitting. A few years ago, we replaced all the landscaping out front and planted new foundation shrubs. It was a big project and the new shrubs looked so small. They are growing well and needed some trimming this year. We shaped them up nicely. There is still some more to do for the next workday, but things look so much nicer outside.  

            We normally schedule our two workdays before Easter. We want to make a positive impression on our guests. The inside crew is doing the same thing for the inside of our church as the outside group is doing for the outside. They are working to make our church feel warm and inviting.

            Making a positive first impression is important for every church. Sometimes we get used to how things look and forget that guests might notice things if they appear a little less than inviting. It is important to make the parking lot, shrubs, and flower beds look attractive. Then you have to think about the foyer, Sunday school classrooms, bathrooms, and the sanctuary. We all want visitors to feel like they are being welcomed into the family of God.

            While making a positive impression inside and out is important to making guests feel welcomed to our churches, there is something else that I feel is important. There was a time when I was looking for a new church. I visited a number of churches that looked attractive. But the big thing that kept me from going back was the simple fact that NO ONE spoke to me. No one greeted me. No one shook my hand. No one made me feel welcomed. It was like they didn’t care if I was there or not, so I decided I didn’t want to go back again.

            I know we all like to see our friends at church, and that is great. We should spend time in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. But when we see an unfamiliar face in the crowd we ALL have the responsibility to speak to them and make them feel welcome. If someone sits on your row that you don’t know, speak to them and let them know you are glad that they came to your church. Let them know they are welcome in the family.

            To my readers who are looking for a church home, please remember there is no perfect church. In our church, many of our members have a T-shirt with these letters printed really big on the front: PBPWMGINFWMY. Those letters mean: Please be patient with me, God is not through with me yet! No one is perfect. We all need the grace of God. My church is full of wonderful, loving, God fearing people…but we are all far from perfect. So guess what? You can fit right in with us! Most churches are that way. You will discover imperfect people.

            I think of it this way. I believe it is important to make a positive impression with the outside and inside of our churches. Our churches should be clean and inviting for everyone, members and guests. But churches are really spiritual hospitals. Churches are places where broken people can come and find healing and restoration through a relationship with a loving God who sent His only Son to die for us. The Good News of Easter is that He rose from the grave! He stands ready to welcome all who will receive His free gift of love, hope, and a relationship with our Heavenly Father.

            I want to encourage you to welcome people who visit your church on Easter Sunday and every Sunday. They may not look or act perfect, but that’s okay because God’s not finished with you yet, either. He can do amazing things in people’s lives if we open the doors to our hearts and our churches to them. He will use you and me to make them feel welcome into His family. I believe people will visit our churches on Easter Sunday. I hope they find a place that makes them feel welcome so they can receive the grace, mercy, and love of God. 

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

Following Jesus Costs

            Have you ever been mistreated by someone? If you have been alive for any length of time, you have probably been mistreated by someone. It could be a sibling, a friend, a co-worker, a supervisor, an employee at a business… and the list goes on. There are so many opportunities to be mistreated and we are all mistreated at times.

            Sometimes the mistreatment comes from the person having a bad day. Something happened that put them in a bad way and that individual turns around and takes it out on you. You happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Depending on the severity of the mistreatment, most of us can understand and forgive the one who mistreated us.

            Other times the mistreatment is perpetrated by a bully. The bully mistreats everyone in his or her path. You were just the next victim. This type of mistreatment can often create lifelong memories. Most of us have probably been the victim of a bully and we would rather not remember it. I can name a few from my childhood.

            I remember once playing with some friends in this girl’s yard. Her father had a reputation for being pretty tough. A bully came around on his bike and started to harass me. The father heard it and came out and confronted the boy. He made the boy get on his knees and apologize to me. The bully was crying but he apologized. The father told the boy to never show his face in our area again and he never did.

            We have all been mistreated many times in life and that is simply a part of living in a fallen world. A couple of years ago, I was at a business and found myself being mistreated by an employee. I spoke to the manager at a later time about the incident and she obviously talked to the employee. The employee continued to mistreat me when I frequented the business, so I decided to stop being a customer.

            The other evening the Lord asked me to pray for this employee. I told Him I would prefer to not pray for the employee. God asked what I wanted Him to do with the employee. I told Him I didn’t care. Then He asked if I wanted this employee to be sent to hell. I quickly responded, absolutely not! I don’t want ANYONE to be sent to hell. Then God reminded me that disrespectful employees need prayer and that I might be the only one praying for this person. It was hard, but I prayed for the employee, and have continued to do so.  

            I taught Sunday school last week and my lesson included Matthew 5:43 – 48 where Jesus was teaching His disciples to pray for those who persecute you. He wanted to make sure that I could apply the lesson before I taught the lesson. I admitted to my Sunday school class that it was difficult because the Lord brought others to mind that had mistreated me through the years who needed prayer, too.

            Following Jesus is not easy. The Bible is full of people who did hard things for God. Noah spent about 100 years building an ark. Moses led over a million people from slavery to freedom. Think about Queen Esther, who risked her life to go to the king when it was strictly forbidden. Ananias was sent to pray for Saul, who had put many Christians in prison. Imagine being Mary, who agreed to be the mother of Jesus and yet was accused of pre-marital sex. She could have been stoned for it. Joseph’s life was no picnic either, being given the charge of raising God’s son. The Bible is full of people who paid a high price to follow and obey God.

            I want to encourage you to make the tough choices that keep you on God’s path. He never said it would be easy. Following God involves difficult choices. Following God involves being obedient. Following God involves faith and trust. Following God will cost you, BUT the rewards are worth it. He promises to never leave you. He promises to provide for your needs. He promises to forgive your sins. He promises to love and accept you. Best of all, He promises you a special place with Him for all eternity. God will ask you to do some challenging things, but He promises to help you through whatever you have to endure for making the right choice. God’s path is not easy but it is the best and most rewarding path you will ever choose.  

 Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com