Knowing My Purpose

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By Doug Creamer

            I have been sitting here reflecting on what I did last week. That’s how I always begin a column, what happened and how that impacted my faith. I am not sure I want to admit how much time I spent last week following Hurricane Dorian. I follow any major weather story that could affect me. It could take months for officials to figure out all the damage from Dorian.

            Someone asked me if I follow the Weather Channel. I go straight to the models. There are several websites that make the major models and the famous spaghetti models available. I watch them closely to make my own determinations about possible paths for the storm. I also follow a weather blogger and vlogger out of Florida whom I find entertaining and informing. To say that I am obsessed might be an understatement.

            I also spent quite a bit of time last week considering and preparing for a new job. I know that I just retired, but I am too young to do nothing for the rest of my life. Don’t misunderstand, I am enjoying the extra time. But the job I have been looking into is teaching children in China how to speak English.

            My sister has been doing this for a while now and she loves teaching the kids. It’s like tutoring children, but they are on the computer, not sitting right beside you. I have watched a lot of videos about how it works. It looks very interesting and rewarding. The only catch is the hours. You have to teach late at night or very early in the morning.

After lots of thought, prayers, and consideration, I think I am going to go through with it. Some of my time last week was spent setting up my virtual classroom. I have been thinking about what the student will see when I am on camera. Also, I have been spending some time practicing videotaping myself. Even though I have made a number of YouTubes, this is very different. It makes me feel very self-conscious. Thankfully, I have a few more weeks until I finish the hiring process and have my first students.

If it works out, I will still get to do something that I am passionate about…teaching. It will also help to keep our budget on track. But the most important thing is that it will still allow me to have more free time. That in turn will cause me to seek the Lord for how He wants me to use that time to further His purposes in my generation.

            I want to serve God and I want to give my life to fulfill His purposes. From a business standpoint, I want to make investments that will pay off in eternity. Having more time gives me an opportunity to seek His face, to get to know my Heavenly Father better. I hope to learn more about Him and how I can invest my talents, skills, and abilities into His purposes.

            Many people struggle to figure out their purpose in life. Our purpose is to know God, love His Son, and welcome His Holy Spirit into our lives. What we do with the time we have here on earth depends highly on what He shows us. God needs people in every occupation, in every place, to be light in the darkness. He may send us to places we don’t understand, but He may be trying to reach someone and we are the perfect person for the job.

            If I go and do everything He tells me, will life be easy? Absolutely not. God will put challenges in front of us to make us grow and become more dependent on Him. How can we trust God if we haven’t proven that He is faithful? You can’t grow muscles (physical or spiritual) until you stretch and tear them. God will allow things that will cause you to run back to Him so He can and will meet your needs. He wants you to know Him as Father, Daddy, the one who loves and protects, the one who leads you and grows you into the man or woman of God that He made you to be.

            I want to encourage you to consider your God-given purpose. He made you and He delights in you. You make Him smile and laugh. He can’t wait until you wake up each morning. He wants to spend time with you. He wants you to get to know Him because He already knows everything about you. Open your heart and discover who you are and your purpose in His eyes.

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

Reflection and Renewal

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By Doug Creamer

            I know that many churches have renewal and revival services. Some last all week, while others have them over a weekend. A special speaker is chosen who will bring a fresh perspective to the congregation. It’s a time when we can stop and take a spiritual inventory and work on rekindling the fire of our faith.

            Last weekend we had a special speaker at our church. I had been looking forward to his coming. We’ve had him before and he is so refreshing, encouraging, challenging, and inspiring. He helps stir up our faith, and makes us reconsider our priorities. He makes me want to draw closer to God.

            We had two sessions with him on Saturday, and then he led the service on Sunday morning. In one way, it doesn’t seem like much time, but in another, he deposited so much in us. I have reviewed my notes and listened to some of the messages again because there is much more than you can grasp in one sitting.

            We got the chance to talk over the weekend, and he picked up on something that I didn’t realize about myself. He said that I was a detail person. I like specifics and want to know everything. At one point while he was teaching he was covering some detailed background to his story and he looked over at me and said, “You must be loving this.” I was eating it up. He shared details about relationships and places from the scripture that I found completely fascinating.

            Throughout the whole weekend he shared some insights and perceptions he felt from the Lord about our church and its place in our community. That’s something we all need to realize, that God has a specific purpose for our church to fulfill in the community. Then to take it a little deeper, what is our individual role in fulfilling our church’s purpose? When God calls us to attend a specific church, then He has a reason for us to be there.

            When we get the chance to attend a conference, we have to work to protect the seed that was sown. The enemy wants us to quickly forget what we learned and return to our routines. That means we have to reflect on what we heard and figure out how to apply it.

            In our conference we learned that the purpose of a church is to help raise up the next generation. God wants us to grow in our faith and trust in Him. He wants us to draw closer and to open our hearts to His great love. But He also wants us to find a way to reach the next generation with the Good News of his gospel.

            To me that means we have to look around and ask, “Are we attracting the younger generations to our church?” Consider where you go to church. Do you have young families that attend? If not, how can you pass the torch to someone who isn’t there? We may have to consider doing somethings differently in order to attract them.

            I know that thought may be unpleasant. I understand; I don’t like change either. But if what we are doing now doesn’t bring in the next generation, how are we going to pass on what we have learned about God? Some churches offer different services with different formats to meet the various needs. That’s great. The only question that lingers in my mind is how will the older generation pass on their wisdom if they never meet the younger generation?

            The solution is… I don’t know. How do we reach the lost and disengaged? All of us have relatives who are unreached. Don’t we want a local church to reach out to them with the love of God? We have to realize that others are praying for us to reach out to their family members who aren’t saved. If what we are currently doing is not reaching out to the lost, then we have to change, to do something that will attract them.

            I want to encourage you to consider how you came to know the Lord. Most of us would have to admit our lives were in a mess. That’s where God chose to meet us, when we were at our worst. So, in order to reach the lost, we are going to have to open our hearts in a different way to receive the broken, discouraged, the hurting, and those who have all kinds of problems. Jesus came for them and He wants to use us. They will be the ones who will carry the torch into the future.

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

Jury Duty

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By Doug Creamer

            On the day I returned from vacation, I went to get the mail. There were several letters, so I glanced through them as I walked up the driveway. Bill, bill, a piece of junk, and… a summons to jury duty! Are you kidding me? This was my third time to be called. I was NOT excited.

            I looked to see when I was to report, and ironically, it was to be the same time I would have reported back to school. I wondered if God was punishing me for retiring. I have to admit, I was pretty grumpy for a few days.

            The letter stated that I was to call the night before to see if I had to show up. I called, and of course, I did. I had a sinking feeling that not only would I have to show up, but that I would be one of the people selected to be on the jury. I just hoped it wouldn’t be a huge trial.

            I arrived and checked myself in. As I sat down and looked around the room I sensed that none of us were very excited about being there. I decided right then that I needed to change my attitude. I am a citizen of this community, and in order for justice to exist in a fair and reasonable way I needed to do my duty with a positive attitude.

            I prayed and asked God to forgive me for my negative attitude. There was a person on the other side of that courtroom door that needed someone who would listen with an open mind to all the evidence presented, and make a fair and impartial decision. God touched me and my mind, heart, and attitude were instantly corrected.  

            The clerk of court showed us a video about what an honor it was for us to serve and what our role would be in the process. A few minutes later, we were called into the courtroom and the jury selection process began. They called twelve people to come and sit in the jury box, and I was selected.

            The assistant D.A. and the attorney both gave us some general questions and then talked with each one of us. It was a very interesting process trying to determine who would stay and who would be dismissed as jury members. I was very interested in the compassion that was shown to people who were caregivers or to those with health concerns.

            The crime was a felony, but in the grand scheme of things, it was a minor crime. What impressed me the most was how professional everyone acted and how the individual was treated with dignity in spite of the charge. The details of the case and the outcome are immaterial, what matters the most is that the judge and jury gave both parties a fair chance at justice in this specific case.

            I walked away with a renewed appreciation for our judicial system. If the same care is put into major cases as was in this case, then maybe we can hope that our system works. I am sure that mistakes are made because we live in a fallen world. There are certainly some people in every profession that do not always give their best, and we know that sometimes people don’t always tell the whole truth. But I still contend that my faith in our system was renewed by this process, and I am glad that I had this opportunity.

            I am also glad that God’s system of justice is different in two key ways. First, all of us deserve to be sentenced to a life separated from the love of God. But if we are willing to repent, God, who is the fairest and best judge, will forgive us for all of our sins and failures. The gift of eternity with God is free for all who would receive Jesus as their savior. Second, if we have been wronged in life and we can find the strength to turn to God and give Him our case, He will take care of the situation and deal with those who wronged us. God’s justice far outweighs anything we could ever do.

            I want to encourage you to open your hearts to God’s love. You may have committed unspeakable crimes, or you might think that you are a good person, but all of us are in need of God’s forgiveness. The only way to find God’s love and forgiveness is through repentance. God stands ready, arms wide open to you…run to Him while there is still time. Today is the perfect opportunity for you.

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

School is Opening

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By Doug Creamer

            This is a very strange week for me. All of my former colleagues are heading back to school and I am not. Why is there such a big smile on my face as I type that? The truth is, I am going to really miss being with my former colleagues and friends. You get close to the teachers you work with on a daily basis. I will miss catching up with them and hearing about their daily lives.

            The first week back for teachers is one that is filled with meetings. There is very little time to actually be in your classroom preparing for the students. There is so much that needs to get done that most teachers stay way past quitting-time. There is the cleaning, decorating, getting handouts ready, and finding some time to actually start planning your lessons.

            The students in Stanly & Davidson counties arrive next week. Here in Rowan County, the students are already back. I always loved starting in early August because we got out in May. It is so hot in August, you might as well be in school. Late May and early June are so much nicer to be out of school. It is also nice to get first semester exams out of the way before Christmas.        I have lots of opinions about education, like the importance of work-based learning. I also believe in starting school later in the morning versus earlier. All these opinions are no longer important. The political powers will make decisions and schools will go on without me.

            I want to be very clear here. I believe in our public schools. They are great places for our kids. There are some awesome teachers out there who make a huge difference in the lives of their students. I never once felt unsafe at school, thanks to the SROs. I know so many teachers who give their hearts and souls to their students.

            I gave 34 years of my life to the public school system and do not regret one moment of it. I tried to always give my best to the students. I tried to reach the students using a variety of instructional methods. I know I wasn’t perfect and there is always room for improvement, but I worked hard and I loved my job.

            Are the public schools perfect? No. There are people in every organization and business who do not bring their A game to their jobs. That doesn’t mean that all schools are bad. It just means that schools are just like every other organization. For the most part, schools are filled with people who love and care about the students that they serve.

            To the parents of students, allow me to share a few thoughts. First, I know this is tough, but your little angel is not always so angelic. Children make bad decisions no matter how good of a parent you are. It’s OK. It’s better that they make the mistakes now where there is a good safety net. Support the teachers and schools because we all want the same thing…to see your child grow up to become a responsible adult in our community.

            To the parents, grandparents, and community members I have one request. Please pray for the students, teachers, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, staff, and administrators of your local schools. We need God in our schools. He will protect us. He will guide us. He will inspire and encourage us. He will give us wisdom as we face the many problems that are in our society. He will love and support us when times are tough. I will say it again: We need God with us every day in our schools if we hope to raise up the next generation.

            I believe in the power of prayer to change situations and circumstances. I promise you I prayed before I went to school. I also knew how important your prayers were to my success as a teacher. No one can do it alone. Schools and school systems need our prayers.

So let’s join our spiritual hands and lift up our local schools, asking the loving and gracious God of heaven to bless the 2019-2020 school year. I encourage you to support the schools in your community, especially if you have children or grandchildren going to school. Your prayers, cards, and encouraging emails are truly blessings to the teachers who are working on the front lines. May God bless you and our schools as they look forward to a great school year.

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

Faithfulness

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By Doug Creamer

            When I sit down to work on my column each week, I reflect back on my week and think about how God has been working in my life. I know I write a lot about gardening, but that is a time when my mind and spirit can concentrate on the Lord and I can hear so much from Him. My reflections from the garden may not be as positive as usual, as the deer came and feasted on my corn. I am not happy with the deer.

            We did have some luck from the garden. We have enjoyed some potatoes and beans. The tomatoes are in a lull right now. Some of the vines have died, but others are putting on some flowers and bringing me hope of a late fall harvest of fresh tomatoes. The first squash plants are dying back too, but I do have some that I planted later that are blooming pretty right now.

            You see, it is easy for me to write about gardening. I do wish that we could get some rain over here. There has been rain all around us recently, but my yard is really dry. I look out and see some of the trees have leaves that are turning yellow. I am spending lots of time watering in order to keep things alive.

            As I look back at last week’s calendar, none of that appears on it. What does appear is notes of friends who lost a loved one. Two people from my church lost loved ones and I wanted to be there for them. I go to a relatively small church and we are like family. When one of us is hurting, we are all hurting. I haven’t been to a funeral in a long time, and to go to two in one week was a bit overwhelming.

            I always have trouble with what to say to the family who is hurting so badly. Imagine that, someone who loves to use words to write, struggling with words to offer a family that is suffering a great loss. I feel so inadequate. My words seem so empty. How can I come up with words that will help comfort and bring healing?

            It is only upon reflection that I realize that it is not my words that help to bring comfort, it is simply my presence. When we take time to be there, devoid of platitudes, giving a simple hug or even a handshake can touch and mean so much. Giving moral support in a time of loss means the world to those who are struggling.

            One thing I do know is that we have to be careful with our words when someone is grieving. Often, we want to offer platitudes that we intend to comfort the hurting, but could actually have the opposite effect. It is especially important with parents who have suddenly lost a child. It is better to hold them, say you are sorry for their loss, and hold them some more. I can’t imagine that pain or ever being able to fully recover.

            The situation could be different for people who are caregivers who have endured a long, debilitating journey of suffering with their loved one. The words, “your loved one is in a better place” could actually bring the comfort you desire. No one wants to see a loved one suffer. But even in this case, I believe your presence and your prayers can mean more than any words you could offer.

            A few friends have lost loved ones, and what I discovered was that listening can be the best medicine. They didn’t need my words. They coveted my prayers and my presence. A warm embrace and allowing them to shed a few tears on my shoulder was what they wanted the most. My words would have seemed hollow and empty, but my presence was appreciated.

            This is a hard column to write as I know of several friends who are facing the loss of their loved ones. My heart aches for them. I find myself praying for them often throughout the day. I wonder what more I can do. I stay in touch and reach out with love.

            I want to encourage you to be there for people who are suffering from a loss, or even those who are enduring the role of caregiver for their loved ones. People often feel alone during the darkest hours of their lives, but we know they are not, AND we have to let them know they are not alone. Our presence means so much, especially when our words seem so insufficient.

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

Social Life

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Social Life – By Doug Creamer

            When summer rolls around I keep a very full social calendar. After a busy school year, I look forward to catching up with friends and family. I meet some people for breakfast, others for lunch. I only get the chance to see some of my friends during summer break.

My wife has a hard time keeping up with my schedule. I have to admit, I have a hard time remembering all my commitments, too. I have been learning to use Google calendar, which helps me stay organized. The trouble is, I still like to write things on the calendar near my desk. I have got to move over to Google exclusively, then I can share my calendar with my wife.

            I like catching up with friends. I like it when the conversation flows naturally, when we share equally. I also like to be with people who are mutually encouraging. I know that I have a gift to encourage people, but sometimes the encourager needs encouraging, too. I have several friends who challenge me to think deeper or to see things from different perspectives. Sometimes I find myself meditating days or even weeks later on something that was said…I really like that.

            Through the years I have been blessed to have a good relationship with my pastors, both past and present. I love getting them to laugh, sharing our journeys in the Lord, and just hearing about their daily lives. Conversations do not have to be all about spiritual things, sometimes it’s about how we live and endure the daily craziness. I count it a high honor when I get the chance to encourage or lift their burdens.

            Some may wonder, is the Holy Spirit present when you are talking about the mundane things of everyday life? I can assure you from many past experiences that the Spirit of God is present when we share some time with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We all have interesting and sometimes crazy experiences that are fun for others to hear about. When we can share and connect with another believer on a normal, everyday level, then the doors open to share on a deeper, spiritual level.

            We need each other in the body of Christ. God did not design the Christian walk to be done alone. Life is hard and He wants us to be there for each other. The crazy things you experience are there to help lift the burden of others who need a laugh to carry on. Two people in my church this week experienced the loss of a loved one. That’s when the body of Christ is called to come together to encourage and support those who are hurting.

            We all have good days when we need to spread some sunshine in the lives of others. We all struggle with times when we are feeling kicked down by the daily hassles of life. That’s when being in fellowship with other believers can be critical. God wants to encourage us and lift our spirits. Sometimes God does that when we are around the family of God. That’s what brothers and sisters do.

            When you are feeling down, ask someone to pray with you. It doesn’t have to be the pastor; all your brothers and sisters in Christ can pray with you. The same goes in the other direction. If you see your brothers or sisters looking downcast, take the initiative to go pray with them. Your prayers are powerful and effective. Your prayers can help the sun break through on someone’s cloudy day.

            I believe God likes to use people who have been through what you are going through to help and encourage you through your storm. The only way they can know is if you are in fellowship and you open your heart to share. It’s hard to open our hearts to others, but if we have been sharing with them during the good times, the connections are already made for the tough times.

            I want to encourage you to connect with other believers. If you will work on building those connections when times are good, you can be sure that help is on the way when times are bad. I can assure you there have been times in my life when I felt I was lost at sea, when all of a sudden a friend braved my storm and threw me a life preserver. We need to be in fellowship, to open our hearts to others who are struggling to walk out their faith, too. That’s God’s plan for how we are all going to make it safely to the end.  

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

Feeling Refreshed

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Feeling Refreshed – By Doug Creamer

            It was wonderful to get a break in the summer heat last week. The Canadian front pushed the heat and humidity south and we had a wonderful week to be outside. I was outside almost the entire week. Although I was pulling weeds, I can’t deny that I loved being out there. I have noticed that the heat and humidity have returned, and I will retreat to the cool of our home. It’s August in the Carolinas; heat and humidity are here to stay.

            I was outside working in both the vegetable and flower gardens. I made it out early some mornings and stayed out late into the evenings. When the air felt so refreshing, I didn’t want to come in. I am blessed in my yard to have the woods on the west side. By late afternoon, we have shade across most of our yard.

            It’s been hot since school let out. I haven’t had any desire to work in the yard…that is, until last week. When I got out there I knew I was going to have to do the one thing I really don’t like doing…pull the weeds. The air felt so fresh and clean, I didn’t care. We pulled so many wheelbarrows full of weeds out that I lost count. As we cleared an area, I got some mulch and put it down. Some parts of our yard are looking quite good.

            Don’t misunderstand; there is still plenty that needs to be done. Good gardeners are never finished. There are plants that need to be moved, removed, planted, pruned, etc. There are always plans and dreams of how you want things to look. We have lived here long enough that we have started to rip out things we planted. A gardener’s work is truly never complete.

            You might think I was tired after working outside all week. Well, I have to admit that there are a few muscles, especially in my arms and back, that are complaining, but I am feeling surprisingly refreshed. I think getting a break from the heat and humidity has actually helped me feel better. I also get a certain joy out of being outside working in my yard.

            Life has a way of wearing us down. It is important that we discover ways that we can be refreshed. I know we can be refreshed when we go on vacation, but the reality is we have to work to pay the bills and keep the lights on. How can we be refreshed when life seems to go at breakneck speeds? We all have so many demands on our time. What can we do within our daily routines?

            First, it’s important to discover for yourself what makes you feel refreshed. For my little sister, it’s going for a run. She feels better after she exercises.  Some people need to soak in a tub. Others might like to escape into a good book. Still others might curl up and take a nice nap.  Knowing ourselves is a key to refreshment.

            Second, I believe music has a way of touching our souls. I know the music of our youth has the power to awaken something special in each of us. But the kind of music I am talking about here is the kind that lifts up the Lord. Again, there is such a wide variety of music styles that honors and lifts up the Lord. If old hymns stir your soul, go for it. There is so much new and various styles of worship music out there; find yours and run with it.

            Why does this work? When we lift up the Lord, He is drawn to us. When we are in His presence, we are going to be refreshed. No matter how tired and weary we might feel; one touch from God can completely restore us. When our spirit connects with His Spirit, we will be changed, renewed, refreshed, and restored. Music has the power to move us if we will open our hearts to Him.

            I want to encourage you to seek the Lord for a refreshing touch this week. I believe that God wants to draw closer to you and renew you. I know life is busy and hard, but taking a few moments to do the thing that helps you feel refreshed is important for your wellbeing. Add to that music that honors and lifts up the name of Jesus and you will be refreshed. God wants to be closer to you. When you open your heart in worship to Him, you will sense His presence in a beautiful and wonderful way.

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

Getting a Harvest

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Getting a Harvest – By Doug Creamer

            How are your weeds growing…I mean, how is your garden doing? My garden is doing better this year than last. We are getting a harvest and enjoying it. We have gotten some tomatoes, unlike last year when we only got a few. The squash is doing well. We have also enjoyed the blueberries and raspberries this year.

            Early in the season, I was working hard to try and keep the weeds down. Things were coming along well and then we hit the hot spell, and I don’t like being out in high heat and humidity. Then being away at the beach gave the weeds an extra boost. So overall, we have a healthy crop of weeds this year. Too bad there isn’t such a thing as weed soup.

            I’ve also been fighting the deer again. They really like my string beans, but they will eat the butterbeans, too. I have replanted several times this year. My mom gave me a plastic fence that I put around them and I think we might get some beans after all.

            We’ve also been fighting some yellow bug which is eating the squash leaves, and we’re fighting diseases, as well. The cucumbers have been producing nicely, but something has gotten a hold of them and the vines are dying. The tomatoes have gotten some yellow leaves, and that has hurt us, too.

            The weather forecast is calling for a cooler week. It’s supposed to rain on Tuesday for most of the day, but then give us some nice weather for the end of the week. I hope that is right so I can get out there and work on the weeds, and maybe dig my potatoes. The potatoes have lived much longer than usual, which I hope implies a big harvest. I know there is plenty more heat and humidity to come, but a nice break would be great to catch up out in the garden.

            I am eagerly awaiting the c-o-r-n; I don’t want to say the word lest the deer and raccoons hear me and plan a party out back. The rain this week might be perfectly timed to give me some big full ears of c-o-r-n. I am hoping to enjoy that in the next couple of weeks.

            If you want to grow a good garden, flowers or vegetables, it takes time and effort. The same thing applies to our spiritual lives. No one becomes a strong Christian in a few days. It takes time to break up the crusty soil of our lives. There needs to be a good place for the Word of God to take root in us.

            That means that we have to pick up the Word of God and read it so it will fertilize the new growth in our lives. Naturally, prayer will water our new garden so the seeds will have the best chance to grow. We can’t grow in God if we never talk with Him. We have to spend some time with the Son.

            We begin our spiritual lives with faith, then we add the Word of God and prayer, but we can’t stop there. We have to add goodness. Being good is a choice; it’s like the food we eat. There are so many things to eat; some are good for our bodies, while others can harm us. God wants us to choose goodness. That implies that we have to exercise some self-control. It is extremely hard to have self-control during the holiday season when there is so much delicious food around. God expects us to work on self-control through our temptations.

            It seems that once we start to make the right choices, trials come our way. We have to persevere through those tough times. God is with us. If we take on His character, we will make it through. One thing that can help is being in fellowship with other believers. Your brothers and sisters can help you when times are tough, and you can help them, too. Sometimes the simplest gestures on our part can show the love and kindness of God.

            I want to encourage you to let your roots grow deep in the soil of God’s love. When you allow your roots to draw in the Spirit of God, you will grow strong and produce a heavenly crop. We can’t do it alone. We need each other, God’s Word, and the desire to work in the soil of our lives, so we can produce a harvest for God. No one is perfect, we all have weeds in our lives, but that shouldn’t keep us from being fruitful for God.

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

Hungry

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I took my own advice from last week’s column. If you missed it, in last week’s column I talked about how to enter a new chapter in your life. Change comes to all our lives in various ways. I offered a few thoughts about how to walk through those changes.

One of my pieces of advice was to rest. When we face change in our lives, we often find ourselves burning the candle at both ends. We are running here, going there. How can we effectively and efficiently make the new changes if we are worn out? If we can rest before the change, that’s great. But I believe that many times we need some time to rest after a major change in our lives.
Think about it. We take honeymoons as newlyweds. Mothers and sometimes fathers are given some time off after the birth of a child. We also take time off work when we lose a loved one. We need time to deal with the change in our lives.

So I disconnected last week and allowed myself to rest. I gave myself permission to rest. It’s hard to give ourselves permission because there is so much that needs to get done. I got some extra rest. I discovered something by the end of the week. The smoldering coals in my life had been gathered together. Then I felt God breath on them. The coals came back to life. There was a little flame. It wasn’t a roaring fire, just a little flame of renewed life.

When I felt this little awakening happening within me, I discovered something else. I was hungry. You know how you feel when you first wake up. I was hungry for the Word of God and the presence of God. Although I had been maintaining my quiet time daily, there was a deeper hunger for more.

I have plenty of Boy Scout experience with a campfire. If you can find some smoldering wood, you ought to be able to coax it a little and get the fire going again. You have to gather all the warmest embers together and then you blow very gently on them. If you do it right, they should begin to glow. As the heat gathers around the embers and you continue to gently blow, there will be small flame that develops.

You have to be ready for this moment. You have to have some dry kindling ready to add slowly as you get the first flames. The little kindling catches fire easily, and if you are patient and keep the kindling coming you can slowly add bigger pieces. It takes a little while, but if you are patient you will soon have a roaring fire going once again.

I believe it works the same way with our body, mind, and spirit. We keep pushing ourselves through the big changes in our lives. Our bodies can put up with some abuse for a period of time, but then we have to give ourselves a chance to rest. We need the opportunity to recuperate and become refreshed.

Reading a good book, watching a movie, or going for a long walk are all things that allow me to rebuild and feel renewed. Each of us does that process differently, but we all know ourselves and what helps us find the place of renewal. We have to get the embers started and allow Him to breath on us.

I felt the fire beginning to stir and made a mistake. I started to push myself again. I forgot my Boy Scout training. Rekindling is a slow process. I want to get moving, but God isn’t finished helping me rest. I want to get some deeper insights from heaven, but He wants me to be still and know that He is God. He wants me to be filled again with His love. I need to let His Spirit envelop me, to hold me close and renew me.

I want to encourage you to stir up a hunger in your spirit for more of God. It’s hard, but sometimes we need to slow down and rest in His arms. His plan is for seasons of rest, to allow His Spirit to refresh us. He does have good plans for our future, but they include resting and getting ready for what He has planned. We aren’t missing something by slowing down, we are getting something. I know it’s hard to rest, but it’s important to be obedient. We need to let God refresh us so we can fulfill His purposes in our generation.

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

Chapter 2

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There are events in life that cause things to change. Some of the events we welcome with open arms, while others are birthed out of difficulties. The kind of changes I am talking about create a new normal for our everyday lives. It’s a time when we are forced to move forward, to see and experience things from a different point of view.

The difficult things could be losing a job, having a parent or child move in, divorce, loss of a loved one, or a tragic accident that leaves one disabled. The joyful ones include graduation, getting a new job, getting married, having a child, moving into a new home, or (in my case) retirement. All these, and many others, will create a new chapter in our lives. It’s a new challenge, a new way to experience our faith in God, a new way to relate to those around us.

Here are some things to avoid as you enter your new chapter. Don’t get ahead of God or try to do things in your own strength. You have to do your part, but wait for God’s guidance. While many changes, even good ones, are scary, don’t live in fear. You are going someplace you have never been; trust in the Lord. Finally, don’t doubt the goodness of God, even when you are going through difficult changes. God loves you more than any human being can and will walk with you through the changes.

Here are a few tips to help you with your new chapter. First, find someone who has already gone down this new road you are on. Look for those who are positive and encouraging and who will give you some good guidance. Change is always difficult, but finding others to help and guide you along the way can make all the difference.

Second, try to get some rest. Change can be stressful and take a toll on you. Getting proper rest and not burning the candle at both ends can really help. You want to be able to think clearly as you make decisions, and tired minds can often be cloudy.

Third, start preparing for the change. Sometimes you can look down the road and see it coming. Work to prepare your mind, your surroundings, and your family for how life will be different. You won’t know all the details, but getting ready will make for a smooth transition.

The best way to prepare and get through any change is to spend some time with your Heavenly Father. In your spirit, allow yourself to get so close you could crawl up into His arms. Your Heavenly Daddy wants to love on you. He wants you close through the murky waters. He will protect you. As you stay close to Him, He will impart the wisdom and grace you need.
I think it is critical through any change in life to stir up your faith. If you are moving forward in God’s plans for your life, there is going to be resistance. The enemy will pay you a visit with gifts such as guilt, shame, doubt, and fear. The enemy will do anything to stop you from moving forward.

The way to combat that is to stir up your faith. You need to reflect on your past experiences with God. Think about your personal testimony when God came through for you in the past. He will do it again. He’s not going to fail you. Remembering what He did for you in the past will build your faith for what He will do for you not only in the present situation but also the future.

God’s plan is to grow us up spiritually. He uses carefully articulated plans to create the growth that He wants to see in us. I believe that God is constantly trying to create the environment in our lives that will draw us closer to Him, give us a greater knowledge of Him, and cause our faith to become stronger. That means that God will use everything in His power to bring about His purposes, including new chapters in our lives. He wants us to trust Him and believe in Him for more.

I want to encourage you if you find yourself in a place where God is writing a new chapter in your life. Trust in the goodness of your Heavenly Author to write an exciting and good chapter for you. That doesn’t mean that you won’t have tough times, but it does mean that He will walk with you through them. He is bringing a blessing to you through each new chapter.

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

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