Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

Words of Encouragement

            Our words have the power to lift people up or to crush them. The way we say our words and our facial expressions can communicate things that can affect someone’s day. Every interaction you have with someone, be it your boss, co-workers, customers, spouse, family members, service workers, or cashiers has the power to make or break someone’s day, week, month, year or even their destiny.

            As a teacher, I am keenly aware that my words carry power. I have always been aware of what I said and how I said it. Was I perfect? NO! I missed the mark more than once. I remember once coming down hard on a kid who needed discipline. After praying, I realized I came down too hard. The next day, I took the student in the hall and apologized to him. He was stunned. “What? You are apologizing to me? I never had anyone apologize to me before.” We talked for a minute, shook hands, and returned to class. It changed our relationship in a very positive way.

            I have seen how my words touched students’ lives. It isn’t always our words that make a difference. I had one student who took every class I taught. He asked me if I knew why he liked my classes, and I didn’t. He said, “I feel seen and heard in your room. You always answer my questions. You are always there if I need to talk.” In that case, it was my words and actions that made a difference in my student’s life.

            Coaches also have incredible power in their words. I have sought out students who were at practice to talk with them about their job. I told the coach I was there, took care of business, then left. I have heard coaches speak inspiring words to build up their players, pushing them to reach for their potential. Sadly, I have also heard coaches spewing out profanity and speaking down to their players like they were worthless. I have often wondered if those student athletes thrived or grew up failing to reach their potential.

            I wish we would stop teaching our children the lie that goes: sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That terrible lie teaches children that their words will have no impact. We live in a society that constantly puts people down. I guess we think that our words will never hurt. Sadly, our negative and hurtful words may live in someone’s mind and heart for the rest of their lives.

            Politicians smear each other. The entertainment industry makes putting others down a sport. Comedians encourage us to laugh at others. What happens to those people? Do we care what our words do to others? The Bible tells us that we will have to give account for our words. God is telling us that the things we say and the way we say them are very important to Him!

            That’s why I want to live my life in such a way that I am building people up, not tearing them down. I love to catch my students doing something right. When I praise them, I get to watch their face light up. I see the smile of victory on their face, which encourages them and pushes me to work harder to help them grow.

            I had lunch with a friend the other day and we talked about where we are in our lives and the things we are doing. We talked about some ups and downs. When I was driving home reflecting on our conversation I thought about how our ears play such an important part of any conversation. My friend listened and offered his perspective on some things I was dealing with in life. His words brought understanding, comfort, and encouragement because he listened. It’s not just our words but our hearts and listening ears that can encourage each other.

            I want to encourage you to consider carefully the words that you say and how you say them. Your smile, your “thank you,” your “have a nice day,” your “I am here for you,” and your “I believe in you. You are going to make it,” might be the life preserver that someone needs. We all have the power to lift someone up, which in turn will help to lift us up. My pastor tells us that our words create worlds. Don’t you want to create beautiful worlds for others? Use your words wisely and be that source of encouragement that others need. Look for the good in others and help bring it out.

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

By Doug Creamer

Seeking Comfort

         I used to wear a tie to work almost every day. I have quite a collection of nice ties. I have special ties for the holidays, including an extensive collection of Christmas and snow ties. I would always wear the snowflake ties to indicate to my students that snow was on the way. I like my ties but my desire for comfort caused me to leave the ties at home…and I haven’t missed them.

         I also have some nice dress shirts. Clothes have an impact on the way we feel about ourselves. While I enjoy being dressed up, I would rather wear casual clothes. When I retired from full-time teaching my wife found me some shirts that I call my “retirement shirts.” They are comfortable and I feel so good in them. I have comfortable dress shoes for work but I can’t wait to take them off after work every day and put on my tennis shoes. If I had my choice, I would be in my jeans, tennis shoes, and my retirement shirts.

         We all know that chicken soup is good for you when you are under the weather. After a stressful day or when you aren’t feeling good, what foods bring you comfort? Lasagna is a comfort food for me. Besides the fact that I love it, lasagna reminds me of my Mom and the comfort of home. For many, desserts like pies, cakes, cookies, and ice cream are comfort foods because they taste so good.

         The older I get the more I find myself seeking comfort, whether in clothes, food, and especially, furniture. I recently got a new chair for my home office. I went to the store and tried lots of different styles of chairs out but it came down to comfort. Now don’t misunderstand me, I want things to look nice, whether it’s clothes or furniture, but I think comfort has become increasingly important.

         Our homes and cars are filled with things to make us feel more comfortable. The world has become an increasingly more uncomfortable place to live so we want our comfort and security at home. We find ourselves wanting to retreat to comfortable places.

We don’t like things that make us uncomfortable. The news is filled with all kinds of bad things that happened somewhere in the world. Don’t get anyone you know started talking about politics because that is a very divisive topic. Churches aren’t immune from divisive behavior, which can make the most faithful uncomfortable.

If you are like me and you desire to find comfort and peace, where do you look? I am fortunate in that there is comfort and unity in my church. But I believe the best place to find comfort is in God’s word. Whatever problem you are facing there is a promise from God’s word for you. He promises to comfort us. He promises to be with us and guard us. He promises to guide us and protect us. He promises to answer our prayers. There are more promises in God’s word then there is space in the paper to include them all.

When I find myself struggling, I often turn to Psalm 23 and Psalm 91. There is so much comfort for us in these Psalms. Isaiah 55 and Ephesians chapter one are also places that can encourage us in difficult times. I imagine you have your favorites, too. We have to learn to seek God in our dark moments and allow His word to be our light and hope. Leaning on Him and trusting that He’s got you can bring a comfort that nothing in this world can offer. The Bible tells us that we will have trouble in this world, but we can know that God is keeping a close watch on each one of us to comfort us in our difficult times.

I encourage you to seek comfort in God’s word and in His presence. I pray that God will make you more aware of His presence every day so you can be confident that He is watching over you. We may find ourselves troubled in our minds, but we have to listen to our spirits and find the comfort we need in God’s promises. He is closer than our breath and assigns angels to watch over us. God’s peace and comfort is available to us if we will keep our eyes and hearts focused on Him and not the circumstances that surround us. I pray God’s peace and comfort to you as I remind myself of the things I have just written!   

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

By Doug Creamer

Problems

            I went for a walk after church, trying to clear my head.  The air was crisp and cold. I noticed that some of the snow had melted off some yards while others were still completely covered in snow. I waved at some neighbors and spoke to other walkers. The longer I walked the more my muddled mind began to clear. I was wishing the clouds would break and allow the sun to shine, but they held tightly.

            It was Super Bowl Sunday. Everyone gets excited for different things involving the big game. Some love the food and comradery. Others look forward to the commercials and the game. Still others look forward to it being over. I prefer the commercials. I want to see the latest techniques for marketing products to consumers. I can’t get that out of my blood even though I am retired.

            I was thinking about what happens after the big game. One team goes home feeling great because they have been crowned the champions. Winning always feels great, but what about the other team? They go home defeated. There will not be a parade to welcome them home. How will the family, friends, and fans welcome home the team that loses the Super Bowl?

            It is a similar thing for the Olympic athletes. If you are in fourth place, you don’t get a medal. How do you comfort an athlete who has worked their whole life for that big moment and it slips through their hands? What do you say? I saw someone crying after finding out they had won the silver medal instead of the gold. 

            I am reading a book by Hal Urban called, “Positive Words, Powerful Results.” In the book he talks about the power of our words. We can choose to build others up or tear them down. Our words can change other people’s lives for both good and bad. He challenges the reader to use their words in a positive and encouraging way. You never know how that one encouraging thing might turn someone’s life completely around.

            Every person you meet is going through something. It might be the little hassles of everyday life or it could be something that is rocking their world. A smile, a word of affirmation, a simple thank you, or sharing something funny could be all that is needed to change the mood and help lift another person up. People don’t need a grand gesture; it’s the simple things that make all the difference. Every one of us is capable of helping others through simple gestures.

            Problems come to all of us in many shapes and forms. Some we can handle quickly and easily. The other day a light switch stopped working. I happened to have one and replaced it in a few minutes. Wouldn’t it be great if all of life’s problems could be solved that easily?

            Sadly, some of life’s problems are overwhelming, or we get overwhelmed at the volume of things we have to handle. Sometimes we may have to ask for help to deal with the problems, not just the repairing but also the mental side of those problems. Having a good friend who will listen and help you sort through things is great BUT don’t forget to be there for that friend when their world turns upside down.

            The other very important thing to keep in mind is something that Hal Urban points out in his book. Sometimes we have to make an effort to look for the good, to find the little joys in life for ourselves. Going for a walk, building a snowman, seeing a crocus poking up, watching a sunset or sunrise, playing with your pet, getting a hug, enjoying a book, laughing at a comedian, or playing a game with your child are all simple moments that can help you find joy. Each of us finds joy in different ways but they are the keys to help us through the problems of life.

            I want to encourage you to think about the things that bring you joy…. Now do some of those things. The laundry and dishes can wait. The texts and emails will be there later. You have to take care of you! You can’t help someone else if your batteries are empty. Read your favorite scripture, remember times in the past when God came through for you, and try to give to God the things that are overwhelming you. He cares about you. He loves you. If you will trust Him, look for those things that bring you joy, and rest in His presence…He will lift you up!

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

By Doug Creamer

Finding Forgiveness in Snow

I stayed up late on Friday night waiting for the snow to arrive. I gave up in the wee hours of the morning. I woke up to the light at my window and had to see if it was snowing. The ground was white. I retreated to bed for a couple more hours sleep and then I got up filled with joy as I watched it snow all day. I continued watching it snow into the wee hour of Sunday morning. I measured 14.5 inches at nine o’clock, so I figured we ended up close to 16.

            I had a great time all day texting friends and family to see what was happening in different places. The winter wonderland the snow created was breath-taking. I dressed warmly and went out midday and took some beautiful pictures. I also made a snow angel, only to discover it is hard getting up from the ground at my age. 

            I went out for a few nice walks after the snow. I like to walk out and check the main roads and see how people are getting around. One of the things I noticed is that everybody who drove by waved. Snow gives you the feeling that we are all in this together.

Today as I look out my window, the sun is shining brightly on the snow. So brightly, in fact, that I have to wear sunglasses when I go for a walk. I don’t know if you have noticed before, but the snow actually twinkles various colors as it refracts the sunlight, similar to a rainbow. It is beautiful and it can help us quiet ourselves so we can spend some extra time with the Lord.

            Another thing we should think about as we look out at the snow is how pure and clean it makes the landscape. We know that snow helps to clean the atmosphere. Hidden within the snow is the dust and dirt it cleans away. In much the same way, the Bible teaches us that the blood of Christ makes us whiter than snow. Our sin is like the dirt in the atmosphere that separates us from God, but the blood of Jesus washes us clean and makes us reflect the glory of God. We are cleaner, whiter, and brighter than snow.

            With this comes the knowledge of our forgiveness. No matter what you have done, the blood of Christ can make you whiter than snow. You can be forgiven and God can even take away the guilt of your sin. He can make you free. He can make you bright and clean. Knowing, living, and walking in God’s love and forgiveness can change our lives forever.

            The important thing is that God wants us to share this with our neighbors. There are so many people in this world who are weighed down with sin and the guilt of their failures. God doesn’t want them to live that way. God wants them to know that if they would simply ask, they could be made as white as snow. They could walk free from their past. All their mistakes wiped way by the blood of Jesus. Then they can know the deep love of God.

            Snow is God’s reminder that we need to share this great news with our neighbors. Our neighbors could be the people who live around us, our co-workers, the people we know at the businesses we frequent, or even the people we meet while waiting in line at the store. We have a saying in our church: Mission is everywhere. People need to hear the good news of God’s love.

I keep looking out the window, distracted by the snow-covered ground. The sun’s rays sparkle like magic off the snow. Kids, dogs, and bearded old men treasure the wonder and beauty of it all. I keep looking at the snow, finding myself wanting to encourage you to open your heart to God’s perfect love and allow it to cleanse you from anything that would hold you back from Him. Then I want to encourage you to share that love and forgiveness with the people in your life. God wants a relationship with every human being. We can be the conduit through which they can discover how to connect with God. It’s our mission, it’s our purpose. God has forgiven you and made you whiter than snow. His peace and comfort are available to all who will reach out to receive it. His love and faithfulness are everlasting. I encourage you to reflect God’s glory so that the lost can find their way home.

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

By Doug Creamer

God’s Got it All in Control

            Did anyone else struggle with anxiety over last week’s ice storm? I follow storms, especially winter storms and hurricanes, very closely. I try to keep up on the trends and what is expected. I follow trusted meteorologists as well as studying the models personally and try to understand the guidance the meteorologists give related to the storms.

            Honestly, I am not sure how meteorologists do their jobs because the models come in with such conflicting information. One predicts snow, another ice, another rain, and still another a dry day. How do they develop their forecasts from that information? I have great empathy for them as they strive to inform us. As one meteorologist recently pointed out, only God knows the future and they are trying to guess what God is doing.

            The anxiety I was struggling with wasn’t solely centered around the potential ice storm and the worry over the loss of power and the many inconveniences that we would all encounter as a result. There are other worries going on in our family that are out of my control. All this was distracting me and keeping my mind focused elsewhere rather than on God, who has us all in His hands.

            When we take our eyes off of God and put them on our circumstances then our circumstances feel bigger than God. In a way, I think that is what happened to Peter when he was walking on the water. Jesus told Peter he could come out of the boat and walk on the water to Him. Peter stepped out in faith and had his eyes focused on Jesus. The trouble was that as Peter was successfully walking on the water towards Jesus he somehow took his eyes off Jesus. That’s when his mind took over and told Peter he couldn’t walk on water. Peter looked at the storm and the big waves and he believed his circumstances instead of trusting what Jesus told him. He started to sink because his eyes were on the wrong things.

            We all face stressful circumstances. We all have things we can worry about. We all have things that can make us anxious. We all have things that are beyond our control. Where are our eyes in those moments? Are we focusing on the things and circumstances or on God?  We choose where we focus.  

Sometimes things work out and all our worry, stress, and anxiety were unnecessary. What do we do when things don’t work out? The ice storm hits and we lose power. We get in a car accident. We get hurt while working. Our bills are greater than our income. We have to go to the hospital. What do we do in those moments when things feel out of control? We are looking for God, but like Peter, find ourselves sinking.

            I believe that Peter was completely immersed in the water but Jesus reached down and pulled him up. I also believe that Peter walked on the water back to the boat. His eyes were back on Jesus and His faith restored. I believe the same thing applies to us. We take our eyes off Jesus and things around us seem to fall apart. The circumstances overwhelm us. Then along comes Jesus, who was there all the time, and He picks us up. 

            When everything seems to be going wrong… When life comes at us from every direction… When we feel overwhelmed… What do we do? Where are our eyes? This is hard. This is when our faith gets tested. Do we believe God is in control when circumstances look different than we expect? King David writes over and over about very similar circumstances. He looks around at his circumstances and cries out to God, “Where are you?” But then, and this is very important, he takes his eyes off the circumstances and puts them back on God. He declares the goodness of God, the faithfulness of God, the mercy of God, the kindness of God, and the love of God. He reminds himself of God’s faithfulness in the past and tells himself that God will come through for him again in his present circumstances.

            I want to encourage you to remind yourself that God is in control. I know, sometimes it doesn’t look that way. We don’t understand. But we, like David, have to remind ourselves of God’s goodness and faithfulness. God promises to never leave us or forsake us. There will be moments when we have to trust Him. I want to assure you God’s got it all in control. Rest in Him. Trust in Him. And let His peace guard your heart and mind.

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

By Doug Creamer

The Power of Music

            When I stumble out of bed I follow a routine. I look outside for a weather check and then amble into the kitchen to get my breakfast. I have some quiet time in His word and in prayer. I get myself ready to meet the world. I take care of any last minute things and then I am out the door. The routine is similar on days that I work and days that I am off.

            Since the fall of last year, there have been quite a few things going on in our family. The cares and concerns have muddied my prayers and filled my mind with fog. Most of the things are beyond my control. I try to handle the things to the best of my ability that are within the scope of my responsibilities. The rest are left for me to ponder. There are too many things to ponder and my thoughts have been muddled. 

            I generally like the house to be quiet when I get up in the morning. Some of the mornings over the Christmas break I found myself listening to some instrumental music while I went about my morning routine. I liked how the music ministered to me. Since the holidays I have found myself gravitating towards other instrumental music. It has a way of soothing me.

            Music has the power to touch our minds, hearts, and spirits. I was reading recently that King David had music playing in his palace. Sometimes we use music to sooth babies. Moms will sing sweet lullabies to their crying babies to quiet them down. Music can calm us down but it can also pep us up. I can’t imagine a party without some music.

            When I was a youth, I didn’t start my car without turning on the music. I find it interesting that if I hear the music from my teens I can still remember all the words. Music has the power to impact our moods and emotions. It can stimulate our memories, helping us remember days gone by. Music has the power to help us find our way through the challenges of life by encouraging and lifting us up.

            Our pastor gives our congregation a word for each year. We focus on it for January and revisit it throughout the year. Sometimes the Lord will also give our pastor a theme song to go along with the word of the year. This year we have John Reddick’s song, “Don’t Fight Alone.” The words are powerful. The song reminds us that no matter what it looks like in the natural, we are not fighting the battles of life alone.

            This song has really ministered to me as I realize that I am not fighting my battles alone. We are all going through our own things and it is comforting to know that we are not going through them alone. We are blessed to have our church families standing with us in prayer.  

            When people come up front for prayer at our church, the pastor and elders stand with the person in need. We assure them that they are not fighting their battle alone. We are standing and fighting with them. We believe our Father loves us and cares deeply about the things that are on our hearts. We also believe that He is working and intervening in situations. Sometimes He is working behind the scenes, but we believe that God is always working things out for our best.

            When we praise and worship God through music it helps to remind us and assure us that God loves and cares about our situation. The worship can help our eyes focus on a great big God who will help us take care of the problems we face. God is fighting for us just like our brothers and sisters in Christ. We never fight alone! No matter how dark it looks, God’s light can and will dispel the darkness. We have to remind ourselves to take courage because we don’t fight alone.

            I want to encourage you to remind yourself that you are not fighting your battles alone. Your family is with you. Your friends are with you. Your church family is with you. The angels are with you. There is a great cloud of witnesses in heaven, including the heroes of the faith, who are with you. Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit are with you. You are not in your fight alone! Reach out and gather others around you. I believe your battle is going to be won…because I believe you are not alone… you will overcome.

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

By Doug Creamer

Ordinary People

            Have you ever looked around your church and realized how lucky and blessed you are to be in the family of God? My family has been through some challenging things recently, and my church family has stood with me and supported and encouraged me through it all. We never know how much a hug, pat on the back, or simply asking about a situation can really make a big difference.

            Knowing your church family is praying for you and with you can make all the difference in whether we press through or give up. You don’t have to be a giant in the faith or a designated church leader in order to offer your prayers, love, and support to your church family. The Bible teaches us that the elders are called to pray for church family members. That doesn’t mean that we can’t pray for people in our church family. Our prayers are powerful and effective.

            My recent Sunday school lessons have been about the twelve disciples. I have been digging into their lives and have found some very interesting things. One of my favorite lines is that God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things for His kingdom. The twelve disciples were just ordinary guys who were called out to turn the world upside down.

            The Bible tells us that Judas took his own life after he realized what he had done. The Bible also tells us that one disciple was martyred, but tradition holds that nine others were also martyred for their faith in Jesus. It is believed that John, the remaining disciple, died of old age. The disciples paid a high price to get the word out that the Savior had come.

            Jesus picked ordinary guys to be His followers. Several were fishermen. I imagine these guys were not holy men. They probably believed in God and knew the promise of a coming savior, but these guys were busy working at their trade. They probably missed services at the synagogue to go fishing. They probably lived self-centered lives.

            Matthew was a tax collector and would have been hated by his fellow community members. Imagine the distrust between Matthew and his fellow disciples. Then you have Simon the Zealot, who was at least training to assassinate Roman leaders. We don’t know if he actually killed any Romans. He would have had a rebellious spirit, ready to participate in, if not lead a revolution against Rome.  

            These are the kind of men Jesus chose to surround Himself with during His time here on earth. They were ordinary men with all kinds of issues and problems that He turned into the disciples that we all know and love. It was these very unlikely men who literally gave their lives in order to spread the gospel.

            It was these guys who healed the sick. They healed the crippled and restored the sight to the blind. They raised the dead. They restored the minds of those struggling with mental illness. They preached to the lost and saw them get born again. They were brave enough to speak truth to power. They saw visions, angels, and had spiritual dreams.

            What is the difference between those guys and us? Obviously, they walked and talked with Jesus. But can’t we walk and talk with Jesus? Jesus empowered them by the Holy Spirit to do all the things they did. But didn’t Jesus give us the same Holy Spirit? You and I are just ordinary people, but how are we really any different than those early disciples? Just like them we have hang ups, doubts, worries, fears, failures, and we have all probably done things that don’t seem holy or very godly. Could Jesus use people, ordinary people, like you and me to reach the people in our sphere of influence with the love of God? 

            I want to encourage you to consider that maybe God can use an ordinary person like you and me to reach our world with God’s love. Maybe He will do some miracles through us. I’ve seen and heard of some in my lifetime. Maybe we are the ones that God wants to send to this generation. He doesn’t need super holy people to do His work. He needs ordinary people just like you and me who are willing to step out in faith and share our stories with the people He brings our way. Then we, like the disciples of His day, can step back and watch Him and the Holy Spirit do incredible things in people’s lives. He doesn’t need someone special, just someone ordinary like us!

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

By Doug Creamer

Time

            We are moving forward into January. There are fewer holiday lights shining at night. Most of us have finally taken the Christmas tree down. The after-Christmas blues can be seen on people’s faces as we return to work and our normal routines of life. Holiday treats have disappeared for another year, replaced with healthy eating. Many have turned their attention to the next national holiday, Super Bowl Sunday! 

            While most people are looking forward with great anticipation to what the new year holds for us, we have to remember that others are struggling. I have talked with some people who have been dealing with sickness. There are plenty of cold and flu bugs being passed around, and those people just want to get better and return to normal. Some have talked about the cough hanging on for weeks, while others say they have shaken it off only to get sick again a week or two later.

I have talked with neighbors and friends who are struggling with the loss of loved ones and found the holiday season only a stark reminder of their pain and loss. Our family has been dealing with the loss of loved ones and the pain has carried over into the new year. People say that time heals all wounds, but the pain that comes with the loss of loved ones has a way of surfacing over and over again, especially during the holiday season. So remember to hug your loved ones and treasure the moments you get to share.

Even though some are struggling, time continues to move forward. It’s a reality that none of us can escape. Are we using our time wisely? The biggest lie we have been sold is that we can multitask. You can’t multitask. Your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. You can fold laundry and watch TV or eat and watch a movie, but you can’t do many other things at the same time.

Some people may think that watching TV or a movie or even scrolling social media is wrong, but it’s not. We need to allow ourselves some down time. We need to give ourselves a break from the daily pressures of life. We need to slow down and catch our breath. We just need to enforce some reasonable limits on these kinds of activities so we can engage with each other and spend quality time together.

Time is not our enemy; it is really a gift. We have to make the choices of how we enjoy the gift of time. We can’t always be working or trying to knock things off our “to do” lists. We need to allow time to read so we can stimulate our minds, to exercise and take care of our bodies, to pursue hobbies and personal interests which allows us to grow as individuals, and sometimes to just sit and be lazy or to lay in bed a little longer on a Saturday morning.

We get to choose how we use the gift of time. One of the choices needs to be spending time with God. Some people think that you can only talk with God on your knees. I like to talk with Him while I am walking and while I sit on my front porch. The important thing is that we invite Him into our daily lives. He wants us to become more aware of His presence. He promises to be with us all the time. We are often so distracted by daily life that we don’t notice that He is right there with us.

Choosing to spend time with God and reading His Word will guide us as we move forward this year. There will be good times and challenges, but we can handle them if we invite God into our lives. We can make room for Him by our choices. He only goes where He is invited and that is our choice.

I want to encourage you to make the choice to invite God into your time. It’s easy to allow time to slip through our fingers. We have to make a conscious choice to watch our time and use our time wisely. There are so many things we want to do in life, bucket lists we want to accomplish before our time is up. We can do many of them if we make the right choices. The wisest choice we can make is to invite God into our lives and allow Him to guide us. Time is God’s gift to you. Open it. Enjoy it. Spend some of it every day with Him.

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

By Doug Creamer

Crossing Over

            We have arrived in 2026! We’ve started to clean up from Christmas…on the outside. I haven’t completed putting everything away. I haven’t even thought about starting the Christmas tree yet. To be honest, I enjoy the tree being up into early January because things are often so rushed on the build up to Christmas that it’s difficult to slow down and enjoy the tree. Besides, it’s a lot of work to take down.

            Once we all put our Christmas lights away, winter settles in for real. The best part about winter is SNOW! I have been watching the models closely and have seen some hints of snow on the horizon, but nothing definite. So I will watch and wait to see what Old Man Winter brings our way. 

People will often make resolutions at this time of year. People join the gym and work out, trying to get the bathing suit body back. The holidays offer us lots of great food, which likes to stick with us as we enter the new year. People make themselves go to the gym to shed some of those unwanted pounds, but the will power to change often runs out.

Our resolutions aren’t just focused on our physical bodies. We want our spirits to be stronger so we will come up with these types of resolutions: “I will read the Bible through twice this year!” “I will pray for an hour every day!” While these sound like great resolutions, they are very difficult to sustain. Life happens and we get busy, and when the pressures overwhelm us, these lofty resolutions become oppressive and strangling, so we give up.

When we strive to do things in our own strength through sheer will power, we often end up failing. Unless there is something driving us to make changes, generally we are going to drift away from our resolutions. Our spirit may desire change, but our flesh is weak. Our flesh will resist and fight the spirit, and unless it is a God thing the flesh will win out.

The way I see it, most resolutions are born out of our desires. So we have to put all the effort in and we know the results of that. We rarely seek God and ask Him what He wants to see different in our lives. The truth is God loves us just the way we are…BUT He wants to mold us and make us into the image of His Son Jesus. He wants to make us into vessels of honor that can carry His Spirit and love to the world around us.

The place we all need to begin the new year is in His presence. We need to rediscover that God loves us – remember, we just celebrated His birth. God likes us – He created us for fellowship and desires to be with us. He accepts us – He calls us His sons and daughters. If we can see God from that perspective then we can understand that the changes He wants to bring in our lives are for our own good. He wants to help us, heal us, restore us, and bless us!

We begin the journey drawing closer to Him. We can ask Him what He wants to do. What does He want to see different in our lives? Then we have to trust Him and work with Him to see the changes develop in our lives. Sometimes He will take us through the refining fire. Sometimes He will take us through challenges and difficulties. Sometimes we are called to go through circumstances to grow a deeper, stronger faith and trust in God.

Do you see the thread in what I wrote? He is working with us. We are working with Him. It’s not our will power or desire that is driving the change. It’s His Spirit that is motivating us, molding us, encouraging us, and helping us to make the changes. These changes will endure. They are motivated by love and filled with grace.

I want to encourage you not to make resolutions this year, but to seek His face for what He wants to do in and through your life this year. God has made good plans for your year. He wants to bless you! He wants to prosper you! He wants your year to be filled with hope, grace, mercy, and His deep everlasting love. The year will have its ups and downs, but you will be secure in His love and peace. His joy will fill your heart. Start the year in His presence and discover a journey you will never forget!

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

By Doug Creamer

Preparing for the New Year

            The packages have been unwrapped. The ribbons and bows are now toys for the cat and dog. We’ve eaten the food that we so anxiously anticipated. The kids are off playing with their new toys. We are off to the stores once again with our returns to exchange. We are shopping online with our new gift cards.

            This is the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Some can slow down while others have to make trips to grandma’s or maybe the in-laws’. So, the Christmas celebration may continue, but hopefully with a little less stress. There is less rushing around and maybe more time to enjoy…all of it; the lights, family, friends, music, food, the gifts we anticipated, and the down time away from it all.

            Unless you are in retail, this is a slow week. We can take a breath and enjoy the things we so eagerly anticipated. Leftovers taste great with a whole lot less work. The tasty pies, cakes, and cookies are there for the enjoyment. We worked hard to get here, now let’s soak it in. Don’t rush, just amble along…

            Allow your mind to reflect on the year that is quickly coming to an end. There have been some good moments and some hard ones. There have been joys and sorrows. There have been victories and moments of defeat. Allow the joys of the good moments to flood your soul. Savor them. Revel in those special memories.

            For the other moments, let’s imagine three buckets. The first, we’ll call loss. These are the memories of lost loved ones, jobs, relationships, etc. These memories come with pain and must be treated delicately. You must cherish the good, especially the people in your life. Hold those memories dear to your heart and allow grief to run its course. Give yourself permission and time to walk through the losses, but do not allow them to control you or keep you from moving forward…one step at a time, one day at a time.

            The second bucket we will call regrets. These are disappointments and we all have them. We might have disappointments over things that did or did not happen. These cause our hearts to be heavy. The deep longing over what you missed or the pain over what happened that you wish hadn’t. This bucket is extremely heavy and a burden that God does not want you to carry into the New Year. We must seek forgiveness from God and then we must agree with Him that we are forgiven, drop the bucket, and move forward into the future.

            The third bucket is our sins and failures. We all sin, from the nicest person to the vilest person you know…we are all sinners. We fail to meet God’s standard of holiness. We can try to always make the right choice and do the right thing, but we are going to fail and fall short of perfection. We should strive to keep our sin bucket empty by repenting and turning from those sins that so easily entangle us. God provided a way and He wants us to ask for and receive forgiveness for our sins. Then we can walk into this New Year that is set before us with clean hands and a pure heart.

            We are cleansed from sin, released from regrets, and have savored the special memories. Now we are ready to enter a new year and a new adventure with God. We know the year will come with challenges and opportunities. We know there will good moments to savor and hard ones to persevere. We can be assured that God will walk with us through the new year. We know it will require faith in our God, who always comes to our aid. We must stir up hope because we know He has made good plans for our lives. Why do we know that? He loves us beyond words and our understanding.

            I want to encourage you to enter the new year without carrying the three buckets, but rather with faith, hope, and love. God sees you and knows you intimately. He is working in your life to mold you into the image of Jesus so you can be a light and hope to those in your life. He has great things planned for you. There will be challenges, but He has made you an overcomer. You are so greatly loved by God AND He likes you too! This is going to be a great year for you and me as we walk in faith, hope, and His unrelenting love. Happy 2026!

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