Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            We had a workday at church last Saturday. A group of people worked inside the church and another group of people worked outside. I always choose outside work because I love being outdoors. Well, I should clarify that. I don’t like being outside in the freezing cold or when we have high humidity, like many summer days around here.

            The leaders of our church had decided that we would tear out all the landscaping from in front of our church. The shrubs have probably been there for thirty years and they needed to be replaced. We pulled them all out and got things ready for our new shrubs, which we are planting this weekend.

            We had some liriope plants scattered along the front that I decided to dig out and plant in some other places. I let some of the younger backs dig and pull the old shrubs from their places. I helped out with some other things, including sweeping and blowing off the parking lot at the end. My body had a pretty good workout before I headed home, but nothing compared to what some of the younger guys experienced.

            The church looks a little bare when you pull into the parking lot now. I asked the pastor on Sunday, “Did you notice that someone stole all our shrubs from in front of the church?” We have a clean slate ready for our new plantings. Now we need our members to show up this week to help with the planting and putting out the pine needles to complete the job.

            There was plenty of work going on inside the church as well. I saw people making trips to the dumpster with all kinds of stuff. I know they were cleaning out closets and storage areas. It is amazing how much stuff can pile up around a building. I am sure the kitchen got a thorough cleaning. I imagine there was stuff from the refrigerator and freezer that needed to go, too. There are always lights and things that are broken that need to be repaired.

            The crew working inside was working hard to spiff up the church so we can all enjoy it. It takes a team effort, all of us pulling together, to keep the church in good shape. Although it was hard work, we still had lots of laughter and plenty of fellowship while we all worked toward our common goal.

            In case you haven’t noticed, I love my church family. We are a diverse group of people who are in love with Jesus. While we all like to have fun and laugh, we are also there for each other when the chips are down. Our pastor is committed to challenging each of us to grow spiritually and to find our place of service in the body of Christ.

            Part of serving includes maintaining God’s house. I believe that God really cares about what our church looks like inside and out. I believe that Jesus comes and sits in our pews on Sunday morning. He looks around to see if we have made our church building a place where the lost and hurting can come and find Him. Is the facility inviting and welcoming to all the broken people who need a Savior?

            Does the outside look attractive, not just for the members but for visitors and passersby? Does the building and place represent Him well to the community? Would someone driving by think, “That place looks nice, I wonder what the people are like inside there?” We only get one chance to make a positive first impression. The way our church looks is important.

            Easter is just around the corner and people will be visiting our churches. We need to be prepared for them to feel welcomed. Many people who have been away from church since the beginning of the pandemic may decide to return to church. What will they experience if they choose your church? How can you play a part of making them feel welcome? God really does care about how our church looks and feels because it represents Him to the world.

            I want to encourage you to think about how your church looks and feels to a visitor. God wants every person to come to heaven. The way that people connect to God is through His churches. Easter gives us the opportunity to reach out to the lost and hurting and give them a place where they can connect with Jesus. Let’s work together to make our churches places of hope where people feel welcomed and can connect with their Savior.

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

By Doug Creamer

            The other day someone I know was talking with me about a situation she was facing. I told her I have been praying for her. We talked about other things before we parted company, but I could tell this need weighed on her mind. I asked if I could pray for her before we parted, and she agreed. We stopped right where we were and said a little prayer.

            Have you ever been that person that needed prayer? I have. I can’t count how many times I have pulled the pastor or assistant pastor aside and said, “Have you got a minute?” Something was on my mind and I needed to share it with a friend. It’s always nice when the pastor takes a minute to pray, speaking directly to the need.

            I remember talking with three previous pastors when I was facing big decisions in my life. I felt stuck, afraid, and unable to move forward. Two of the pastors had me laughing at myself before we parted. They told me there was no way I would make a wrong decision because they had too much faith in me. They didn’t pray with me, but they prayed for me, and those prayers in conjunction with their faith in me made all the difference.  

            Sometimes we need prayer and words of reassurance. I am thankful for my brother and sisters. They have called me to ask that I remember their children in my prayers because of situations they faced. I have called them with questions about health concerns or seeking advice about other life changes, and they have been there not only to listen, but to offer their help, encouragement, and prayers. Words of encouragement can be so powerful and life-changing.

            I saw a good friend and several former colleagues last week. It was so good to see each other in-person and to catch up on life. I loved hearing about their children, how work has changed since the pandemic, and especially how they were doing spiritually. What I enjoyed the most about the time I spent with my friend was the opportunity to encourage and be encouraged by him. We never really know the impact of our words and prayers. Their positive impact can fuel people’s fire and passion for life.

            I have always made it a point to pray for my supervisors. Some have received more prayers than others. I have also shared words of encouragement or laughter with my supervisors. I will never forget two situations when my supervisors prayed for their teachers during a meeting. When your boss prays for you, that is huge.

            There is a difference between praying for someone and praying with someone. Praying for someone is very important because we all will find ourselves in the place of needing prayer at some point in our lives. Letting a person know that you are praying for them is important because it lets them know that they are not alone in their struggles. We have to remind ourselves that our prayers really do make a difference in the spirit realm.

            I believe that there is an extra release of power when we pray with someone. You can literally watch burdens lift off people’s shoulders when you pray with them. We have to be vulnerable enough to ask and then take the risk to actually pray out loud. We have to get past the feelings of our own inadequacy and put the other person’s needs ahead of our own. Praying with someone always has a powerful and profound effect on them.

            I know that every situation doesn’t allow us to pray together. Praying with someone over the phone can be very powerful. I have prayed for and received prayer over the phone and felt the power of the Spirit present. Sometimes we may need to find a quiet place, or pray together in spite of the noise and distractions.

            I want to encourage you to look for opportunities to pray with someone this week. If you are aware of a tough situation someone is facing, make some time and take the effort to pray with them. Don’t worry about your words; let the Spirit work through you. Trust that He is reaching out to bring the comfort and healing. You are just the vessel that He wants to work through to bring a great blessing to another person. Your prayers and words of encouragement will be the spring rains on the parched soil of their life.   

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

By Doug Creamer

            I find myself in an interesting position. I am both a teacher and a student. I am teaching part-time at the community college, and I have just enrolled in a course where I am a student. The course is designed to improve my skills as a teacher. It is an online course which will require me to read, watch videos, and to write about the learning process.

            One of the first assignments was to write about a time when I had learned something. I found the answer right in front of me. Many years ago, I went to see my best friend, who had retired and taken up wood turning. To turn wood, you place a block on a lathe which spins and then you use tools to create a bowl or other symmetrical object.

            My friend determined that he would teach me how to turn wood. We put our first block of wood on the lathe and he demonstrated how to use the tools. Then he got me to use those tools and work on our piece of wood. My friend did some of the fine finishing work and then we used a tool to cut the bowl away from the block.

            As it turns out, we created a funnel instead of a bowl. We had cut away too much out of the center of the block so when we cut it away it left a hole in the bottom. We laughed. That funnel/bowl sits right here on my desk. My friend put another piece of wood on the lathe. This time he made me do all the work. We were careful not to go too deep in the bowl this time.

            My friend had placed a very special piece of wood called a burl on the lathe for us to work on this time. A burl is a highly sought-after piece of wood because it will create a stunning piece of artwork. It was just a piece of wood to me. We worked on it until I had to head for home. The next day he finished it, sanded and sealed it, and carved our names in the bottom.

            My friend mailed me our bowl, which sits near my computer. My friend sent me a note that sits with the bowl which reads, “Sometimes the value of an object can be determined by its uniqueness. This is pretty unique.” The bowl is a beautiful, completely unique piece that I treasure.

            This reminds me of the unique and wonderful opportunity I have every day as a teacher. When I show or teach something to someone it gives me great joy as a teacher. I love being a teacher. I love helping someone acquire new skills or knowledge. I don’t do it for the paycheck, although it does help to pay the bills. I do it for the joy of watching someone spread their wings and fly.

            In the last week, I had the privilege of seeing a couple of students achieve success in the program I am teaching at the community college. One of the students was one of mine, and she had worked very hard to apply herself to the subject material. When she succeeded, my supervisor and I celebrated with her. We were so excited and happy for her. The other student I met today while she was waiting for her results. When she found out she succeeded my supervisor and I celebrated with her, too. To see the great joy on these students’ faces is far greater than any paycheck I could ever earn. They worked hard and earned their success.

            Our Christian walk will end with what we hope will be a similar celebration. God gives us His word, which is filled with many challenging lessons. If we apply these lessons to our lives, it will help us have a successful trip through life. We’ll have some good times and go through some rough patches. If we stick with it and continue to apply ourselves to what we have learned then we will hear these words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come and enter your master’s rest.”

            I want to encourage you to press on in your Christian walk. Don’t quit! There is a great reward waiting for those who believe and persevere. God is preparing a wonderful celebration for each person who endures to the end. We are living in challenging times. Don’t give up on God; instead, run to Him. We don’t need to understand what is happening, but only to trust Him. I want to see you there, so let’s encourage each other and press on until that great day.

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

By Doug Creamer

            For many years my brother and I teased each other about our work. My brother is a supervisor who walks around and points at things and tells his employees to do this or that. What is so hard about pointing and grunting at employees? I am a teacher and he teased me that someone was paying me to talk. I loved to talk as a kid, and I still love to talk today. He couldn’t believe that I got someone to pay me to do what I love to do. “You call that work?” we would ask each other, and then we would laugh.

            I retired from teaching back in June of 2019. I taught online for over two years, and now I am teaching part-time at the community college. I was thinking today, while I was at work, what a great job I have. I still love teaching. I am being paid to talk. I sure feel lucky.

            My new job has kept me very busy, and I have had little time to catch up with friends and family. Things are beginning to settle down into a more manageable routine and I am hoping to catch back up with some friends. As Covid numbers continue to fall, I hope I can meet some friends for meals in restaurants. It is good to share a meal and fellowship together.

            Actually, I have shared a meal with a couple of friends recently. We talked about our churches. We discussed our spiritual lives, family lives, and our work lives. We talked about health challenges we and our families are facing. Both friends talked about their children. Both guys really love their kids and are so proud of them.

            In both cases, the meal ended but the conversation continued to flow like a river. We continued to talk about a variety of things. Both guys love Jesus and our friendship is anchored in our faith. The meal we shared is just an excuse to build and strengthen our friendships. Another thing that happens when you spend time together is that you learn better how to pray for each other and how to encourage each other. That’s the heart of fellowship.

            There are several pictures and decorative items on the walls at my church that focus on the importance of gathering. There is rarely a sermon from our pastor when he doesn’t emphasize the need for us as Christians to be in fellowship with each other. We had a men’s breakfast recently, and it was a great time. The women have also gathered for fellowship.

            COVID has kept many people from gathering. Justifiably, many families have avoided family gatherings or reunions for fear of spreading COVID. Unfortunately, isolation is not good for people. We need each other. We need to share our stories so we can encourage and be encouraged by each other. Life is hard. We all fall down sometime and need a helping hand.

            The same thing applies to the family of God. There are times that we may need to stay home because we are sick, and that’s okay. We may need to be away from church because we are caring for loved ones and that’s okay, too. We do need to remain vigilant against COVID, but the fact remains, we need fellowship. We need each other. Being together helps us see that we are not alone in our daily struggles. Being together helps us encourage and challenge each other to keep walking the walk of faith, to keep pressing on when we feel like quitting.

            Being together helps us know how to pray for each other. After spending time with my friends and knowing their hearts, I know better how to fight with them in prayer. I know how to support and encourage them because I know the battles they face. I can also rejoice with them about the good things happening in their lives. We can also spend some time laughing together. You know that laughter is medicine for the soul.

            I want to encourage you to look for and take advantage of opportunities when you can be with your brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to be safe and considerate of other’s comfort level with gatherings. Thankfully, warmer weather will allow for opportunities to gather outside. I need my family and am thankful that we are close, but I need my church family and godly brothers and sisters in my life, too. We can pray for each other and encourage and challenge each other to a closer walk with God. United, we can help each other make it until that great day when He comes to gather us and take us to our eternal home.

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

By Doug Creamer

            Have you seen your first robin of Spring? There have been a few in our yard over the last couple of weeks. There is a part of me that hopes that they are right, while the other part is still hoping for one last snow. I can see some trees are budding out. My blueberries will probably bloom within a week or two. Spring flowers are blooming everywhere you look. But we can’t be fooled by them. I have plenty of pictures of spring flowers blooming through the snow.

            We started to do some of our spring tasks outside. We pruned back the butterfly bushes and the hydrangea. With the string of dry, warm days I couldn’t help myself; I got out my garden tiller and ran it through part of my garden. We have four raised beds for the vegetables; I tilled two of them. It was so good to be out working the soil.

            I know that we are a long way off from planting anything in the garden, but I am getting the gardening fever. I stood out there daydreaming about where I would plant things. I was looking over the fences; they need a little work to tighten them up. There is a lot of work that we want to do.

            There is another wonderful thing that the warmer weather allows, and that is lunch on the front porch. I love to be outside as much as possible, except for the extreme cold of winter and the extreme heat and humidity of summer. There is something peaceful about sitting on the front porch. I enjoy reading out there. I also enjoy just sitting quietly. I can feel His presence. I enjoy praying and talking to the Lord in the peacefulness.

            Speaking of peacefulness, I enjoy how quiet it is late at night when I take the trash out. When I take the trash out my wife knows that I might be outside for a while. I love looking at the stars and watching for shooting stars. Whenever there are meteor showers I will drag a chair outside and lay back and watch for a long time. It is so quiet. I can hear the soft rustling of the leaves in the breeze, or one of the neighborhood dogs barking. It’s another time that I can quiet my mind and my spirit and just be with Him.

            I guess when I think about it, I love spring and fall because I can be outside more during those times of the year. However, my sinuses don’t like spring and fall because of the allergens in the air. Regardless of my allergies, I am going to spend as much time as possible outside. I love working outside and spending some quiet time with the Lord.

            I have learned an interesting lesson in recent years. I will go to the Lord with an area of my life that I think needs to be improved or changed. I know that I can and should do better in that area of my life. I make plans for improvement and tell Him to help me.

            The trouble with this approach is that I am telling Him what needs to be done. The result is that He sits down and everything in my life seems to fall apart. My attitude stinks, my behavior get out of line, and the weeds of sin sprout and grow unchecked. But I stay focused on that one area and find little success in changing myself.

            What I have learned is to go to Jesus and ask Him where He would like to work in my life. It’s interesting because He chooses something that I didn’t even know needed His attention. When we work together we make great progress. The amazing thing is that not only do I see improvement in the area where He is working, but all areas of my life seem to be improving, even those areas that I thought needed improvement. 

            I want to encourage you to spend time with the Lord and allow Him to choose what areas in your life He wants to work on. He wants to make us all like Jesus, so that means we all have areas for Him to work on. True change comes when we cooperate with Him. When we allow Him to work, He uses the tools of grace, the power we need to change; mercy, unwarranted forgiveness; and His perfect love, which constantly reminds us that we are securely in His hands. Let’s choose to work with Him and watch our lives bloom in His presence.

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

By Doug Creamer

            What have you been doing the last week? I have been looking at the news every chance I get to see what is happening over in Ukraine. You would have to be living under a rock not to know that Russia has violated the sovereignty of another nation. They have committed an act of war against the people of Ukraine.

            I look at multiple websites, trying to develop a balanced view of what is happening in the world. Each news source slants the news to fit their political views. Whatever your source of news, there are certain undeniable facts: women and children are suffering, families have been divided, and young men are dying…those are circumstances of any war.

            The images from Ukraine are not pretty. Missiles have hit apartment complexes and tanks are driving down roads that should hold cars and trucks. Schools are not places of learning but places where people hope to find shelter from the falling bombs. Places where children once laughed and played are now silent.

            We know little of what the governments around the world are doing. Wisely, they keep quiet lest they become targets of Russian attacks. We wonder what the governments can do to stop this aggression. We know that governments have stopped the flow of money and refused to allow Russian planes to enter their airspace.

            We also know that some countries have sent supplies and weapons to help in the fight. We may wonder why countries haven’t sent military men and women to help Ukraine. If a country sends military help into Ukraine, it would be joining a war and therefore committing that whole country to help fight in the battle. It would also open the door for Russia to attack that country. The answer to this Russian invasion is not easy.

            Each country will have to struggle to answer the very difficult question of how to help. Some will call for military intervention, while others will protest against any involvement. Sadly, the losers in these situations are the families who have been displaced and those who lose loved ones during the conflict. There is much suffering for both sides. 

            Last night I thought about the people in Ukraine while I took my shower. I thanked God as the warm water rolled off me, wondering how many of them had not had a warm shower in a week. I got some ice cream, brushed my teeth, and climbed into my very comfortable bed. As I lay there I couldn’t stop thinking about them sleeping in bomb shelters on hard floors. They were probably hungry, cold, and wondering if they would make it through the night. My prayers seemed so feeble, but I prayed hard for them.

            This morning I stood at the kitchen window watching and listening to a beautiful cardinal singing a cheerful song. I thanked God. For the last couple of days I have been especially thankful for each of my meals. I imagine many in Ukraine are not getting three square meals. I am also thankful for the safety I feel here at home.

            I walked around my yard this afternoon, enjoying all the signs of spring. There were some beautiful flowers blooming, my blueberry bushes are budding, the saucer magnolia tree is blooming, and the sun was warm and comforting. It was amazingly peaceful in my yard today and I thanked God for all that I had seen and enjoyed. My life is good: the power is on, the water flows, and the house is good and warm.

            My wife shared a ray of hope from Ukraine last night. The world-renown chef José Andrés is in Poland at the Ukrainian border serving meals to thousands of refugees trying to escape the fighting. Chef Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen, a non-profit which provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. I have seen him interviewed; he is awesome. It never ceases to amaze me how good people can rise up in the worst of circumstances and do incredible and wonderful things for others.

            I want to encourage you first to be thankful for the many blessing in your life. Maybe things are tough for you, but there are always things for which we can be thankful: our food, shelter, a good job, and great friends. Secondly, I encourage you to pray for the people of Ukraine and the world’s leaders. Your prayers make a difference. We serve the God of the impossible. Trust Him, give your life to Him, and thank Him for His many blessings. 

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

By Doug Creamer

            The Easter bunny came for a little visit last Sunday. I’m getting ahead of myself here; let me start at the beginning. I was walking around the side of the house after church last Sunday when I saw a neighbor out in her yard, so I waved. She called out, “Do you own a rabbit?” I responded, “No, why?”

            There was a beautiful white rabbit hopping around my backyard. We watched it for a little while and were both concerned for its wellbeing. We’ve seen hawks and owls in our neighborhood. It was friendly and we both petted the little bunny. It was obvious to both of us that this rabbit was someone’s pet.

            I decided to catch the rabbit. I got out our cat carrier and some gloves to be careful, and scooped the little rabbit up. He was just about in the cage when the rabbit began to kick me with his strong back legs. With his head inside the carrier, I thought I had won. When I released my grip he twirled around and hopped away.

            He didn’t run very far. He was playing a little game with me. I swooped around and captured him again. This time I put a hand around those strong back legs. He slid right in the carrier this time and I got the door closed. Mission accomplished, but now what?

            My neighbor and I looked at the beautiful rabbit and then we got a carrot for him. While he munched on it, we talked about options, including keeping the little guy. We each encouraged the other to keep it. I don’t think either of us was ready to adopt a new pet.

            We called another neighbor and asked if she would post about the lost rabbit on our community Facebook page. We took some cute pictures and she posted about it. Wow, did that create a stir. There were tons of comments on the little rabbit. No one said it was their rabbit, but there were several who were willing to adopt it.

            The last I checked on it, the bunny has a new home. I have heard through the grapevine that the family is very happy with their new rabbit. That little rabbit may not know it, but it brought a much-needed ray of sunshine to our little community. I admit it; the little white rabbit brought sunshine to my soul, too.

            I like a happy ending, when the lost become found. This little rabbit who lost his way has found a new home where he will be loved and cared for by a warm, loving family. Does that story remind you of any other story? Yes, me too.

            All of us know people who are like that little rabbit. They seem content, hopping around in their daily lives, but their souls are lost and unprotected. Their souls don’t have a place to call home. They are in need of someone to come along and rescue them.

            Some people don’t even realize that their soul is in danger. They don’t know the perfect peace that God gives His children. They have never met Jesus and discovered His love. They don’t realize that Jesus has paid for all their sins and made a way for them to come home. They don’t have a safe place from the storms of life because they don’t know their Creator.

            Sadly, these souls don’t realize that there is a family just waiting for them. The family of God has opened the doors and their hearts to receive them. I know the family of God is not perfect, nor is any family on earth. My family isn’t perfect, but I love everyone in my family and pray for them often. The same holds true for my church family. We aren’t perfect, but we are a wonderful family who love each other deeply. We laugh hard and hold each other close when the road gets rocky. I wouldn’t exchange my church family for anything.

            I want to encourage you to get connected with a church family. I know you haven’t figured everything out yet, but that’s okay, we haven’t either. I know your life is a mess, that’s okay, because none of us has a perfect life either. I know you may be afraid and you want God to answer some questions, that’s okay, too. None of us knows all the answers, either…that’s what faith is all about…trusting God with what you don’t understand. Come home before it is too late. Come home where it is safe. Come home where you can find love and acceptance. Come home to the family of God. Come home!

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

By Doug Creamer

            I have always believed that our words are more powerful than we could ever imagine. I have to be careful with my words because I like to have fun and I am a bit of a prankster. I know that my words can hurt as well as heal. My words can bring laughter and bring tears. The words we choose are important because of their impact on people’s lives.

            Recently, I was talking with a colleague about my new job at the community college. I was telling her how much I am enjoying the job and the students. While I acknowledged that I was working really hard to learn the curriculum and prepare my lesson plans, I am really enjoying the whole experience. I told her that I loved being a teacher.

            In response, she said something simple yet very profound for me. She said “You love being a teacher because that is the way God made you.” I thought about her statement for a moment and was speechless. “That is the way God made you.” Even now, the statement still gives me goosebumps. God created me to be a teacher. I love being a teacher. I love doing what God created me to do.

            Many people have searched their whole lives to find their purpose, why God created them. I have known my purpose was to be a teacher for most of my life. Of course, there are parts of every job that aren’t fun. But I get great joy out of helping someone learn something they didn’t know…and that applies to both the natural and the spiritual realms.

            I was emailing another friend about my new job and how excited I am to teach. She said it was easy to see how much I was enjoying my new job. But then she said something that caught my attention. I explained to her that I was working long hours creating curriculum, lesson plans, PowerPoints, and handouts. I am working hard to stay one step in front of my students. I am tapping deep into my creative energy and things are flowing beautifully.

            My friend is a very creative person and she knows how that energy can flow. She said it sounded like I was burning the candle at both ends. She said you can do that for a short while, but I needed to consider slowing down and allowing my creative batteries to recharge. If I wanted to maintain the current creative flow I was enjoying, I needed some down time.

            I read her words several times. I saw the wisdom in what she was sharing with me. I love and thrive in the creative process, but all work and no play isn’t good for the creative process or for the students in my classroom. I took a deep breath, acknowledged the truth in what she wrote, and unplugged…for a little while.

            If our eyes are open, we can encounter wisdom from many different places in our lives. One of the greatest sources of wisdom comes from King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live. I have been reading Proverbs lately and enjoying my journey through the book. There are so many wise sayings about every aspect of life. He offers many practical applications on how to live everyday life.  

            There are other places to look in the Bible for practical wisdom. There are many stories which illustrate the benefits of keeping God first in our lives. The experiences in the stories are there to guide us and give us wisdom. Age does not dictate the amount of wisdom you possess, the amount of the Word of God hidden in your heart will determine that.

            Wisdom alone doesn’t determine your path in life; it also comes from your choices. We know the difference between right and wrong, yet we all choose wrong at different times. We need to slow down and consider our choices and the paths they will lead us down. We can’t choose for each other, we have to choose for ourselves. We can learn from each other and gain wisdom from each other’s life experiences.

            I want to encourage you to gain wisdom. There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge; choose wisdom. Wisdom can be gained by reading and meditating on God’s word. It can also be gained from listening to others who have walked down the same paths. God wants you to have a good trip through life, so listen for His voice and learn from His insights. God can and will give you wisdom even from good friends and co-workers.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I like to pray about as much as I like weather. I can hear you laughing! My fascination with weather stretches back to some of my earliest memories. I can remember watching the weather reports on the evening news. I knew all the weather personalities. I always want to know about the next storm, the new cold front, and when will it snow.

            But this column is about our prayers. We pray over our food, we pray together when we are at church, and we say our prayers before we go to sleep at night. We ask for God’s blessings and His divine protection. These are good prayers, meaningful prayers, ones that bring us peace and comfort.

            Sometimes our prayers don’t feel like enough. We ask God for His help, but it seems unheard. Someone is in the hospital and they seem to be going from bad to worse. Someone is struggling with the demons of drugs and/or alcohol and it feels like they are losing the battle. Depression and anxiety have taken someone into captivity and our prayers for them feel like they are hitting the ceiling.

            Our heart aches for the ones who struggle. We believe that prayer works, but why aren’t we seeing the evidence? We rush in to fix things ourselves only to watch situations slip through our fingers. Where do we turn for answers when it feels like prayer isn’t working? How do we maintain our hope when everything feels so hopeless?

            The first place we have to begin is in our thoughts. Our minds tell us that things look hopeless. We know better. God is faithful and He will never leave or forsake us. God loves us and those who are in need far greater than we can ever understand. God is well informed about every situation in our lives. Nothing escapes His attention. Those are facts that we have to tell our minds to get them working in the right direction.

            We also need to change our thinking about how we pray. There are times when we approach God with our lists. We pray for family and friends and those people who are facing terrible situations, the very ones we are talking about today. Those prayers that don’t seem to get answered were a part of our list that we brought to God.

            I think we may need to re-think our approach to God. If you have a computer or smartphone, look up the song, “Talking to Jesus.” Take a few minutes and listen. Let the song sink in. I think there is a difference between praying and talking to Jesus. Both are vital, but I think we often forget the power that can be found in talking to Jesus.

            I know there are times when we must get on our knees and intercede. There is a place for absolute brokenness before the Father. We should bring our lists to God because the Bible teaches us that God loves us and cares deeply about the desires of our hearts. But there is a difference between those prayers and “Talking to Jesus.”

            When you are talking to Jesus it’s like talking with your best friend about whatever is on your mind. You tell Him what you are thinking and feeling, even if those feelings seem wrong. You pour out your heart to Him because you know He cares for you. It’s okay to pull out the yucky stuff that is way down inside of you because you have a friend in Jesus. It’s okay to tell Him you are dealing with doubt, fear, anxiety, worry, and even hopelessness. He won’t judge you and He will appreciate your honesty.

            Do you know what is going to happen when you talk to Jesus like that? He will lift your burdens. He will assure you of His presence in your life. He will trade all the bad stuff for His perfect peace. You may not get the answers you want as fast as you want them, but you will know that He is on the job. If He sees every sparrow that falls and knows the number of hairs on your head, He’ll take your burdens. He’s got it!

            I want to encourage you to start talking to Jesus. If you have children, let them catch you talking to Jesus so they can learn from your example. In fact, you can teach them how to talk to Jesus. The next time you go to the hospital or you face what feels like impossible odds, start talking to Jesus. He is your best friend and He will walk with you through your circumstances.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I like to watch a variety of movies. Naturally, as a guy, I enjoy action movies. I liked the Jason Bourne series, and who doesn’t like a good James Bond movie? I enjoyed the Indiana Jones series, but that does go a ways back. Westerns are high on the list, especially a number of the old ones. Yes, I enjoy some science fiction movies, too.

            There are some movies that I have watched numerous times. Some Christmas movies I watch every holiday season. Honestly, there are too many to mention by name in this space, and some of them might get me quite a ribbing from a few friends. I will admit that there are some rom coms on the list, but you have to remember I am married and I enjoy watching movies with my wife.

            Since the beginning of this pandemic we have watched a number of movies. We watch a movie every Friday night and sometimes another one on Saturday night. If you count the weekends since this pandemic began, you will come up with quite a large number of movies we have consumed. I don’t think we are alone in our movie consumption since the pandemic began.

My wife has found many movies that weren’t blockbusters that we have really enjoyed. We both enjoy movies with quirky characters. We have also enjoyed movies that are thought-provoking. Some movies have challenged our beliefs, or at least made us consider things from a different point of view. She has introduced me to some British movies and programs that we have really enjoyed.

            We have watched a number of black and white movies. There are some great ones from way back. They move slower, but we enjoy the pace. There are some old comedies and mysteries that hold up well. We both like some of the stars from back in the day. We also enjoy that the movies were less graphic in those days.

            We both enjoy a great story. We have watched plenty that were based on real life. Some people have lived very hard lives and their stories offer a sense of hope. If they can walk through those trials, then I can endure the things that I face.

            The Bible is filled with many of those kinds of stories. We see over and over again that people faced insurmountable odds, but with God’s help they overcame. We see people who made mistake after mistake, and God still used them to accomplish His purposes. That means that He can use someone like me to do His will, too.

            I have been reading through the Psalms and I love how the psalmist calls out to God from terrible circumstances, and then God intervenes. Sometimes the palmist ends the psalm with a declaration that he will wait and trust in God, while other times God has already shown up. It seems the psalmist catches a vision of his great big God and loses sight of his terrible circumstances.

            I like that the Bible tells us of David, a man after God’s own heart. David was one of the greatest kings, yet David made plenty of bad mistakes that weren’t swept under the rug. He counted the troops against God’s will and many people lost their lives because of that mistake. We all know he committed adultery, yet God used him in mighty ways. So yes, God can and wants to have people like that in His family.

            I love that Peter is included among Jesus’ disciples. While Peter had great faith, he also committed many big blunders. He said and did the wrong thing it seems, more times than he said and did the right thing. Yet Peter was among Jesus’ closest men. Peter is the rock upon which the church was built. Peter walked on water and healed many in his life. Peter led the church and wrote some of the books from the Bible. Peter is a hero of the faith.

            I want to encourage you to read about these and many others in your Bible who were ordinary people with ordinary faith in an extraordinary God. God is looking for someone just like you and me to be light in this dark world. He wants us to tell our stories of our journey of faith to those who don’t know of His marvelous deeds. The stories from the Bible are truly inspiring, but your story can be equally inspiring to others who are struggling. Share your story; who knows, maybe they will make a movie out of it one day.

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