Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            This morning began on a concerning note. I was driving to work when I saw a car coming from the opposite direction being chased by three police cars. As they zoomed past me all I could do was pray for everyone involved. I hope that no innocent people were hurt and that the situation resolved in a positive way.

            This evening’s garden check also included a disconcerting sight. I discovered a black snake wrapped up in the netting that I have wrapped around my blueberry bushes. He was so tightly wrapped that I thought he was already gone. As I started to cut away the mesh he started to move. I worked for a while to free the snake but he got anxious and kept opening his mouth towards me. I didn’t want to get bit in the process of setting him free, but eventually I was able to cut the netting away and free the snake.

            These two events reminded me of a discussion I had this week about writing. A group of us were talking about how authors get ideas for their stories. I said that authors choose topics or themes about which they are passionate. Some of the themes we discussed were love, coming of age, growing older, overcoming, revenge, good versus evil, and addiction.

            The topic of addiction struck a chord with several in the group. One individual shared how an addiction had destroyed the marriage of a co-worker. He went on to share that when the person finally got help for his addiction he was able to turn his life around.

            Another woman shared how she had gotten free from addiction through faith in Jesus. She struggled to understand why others she knew did not want to be freed from the same addiction in their lives. Despite numerous attempts to share her story, they continue on in their addiction. “Why don’t they follow the same path I found?”

            Several in the group tried to explain to her that the nature of addiction keeps people trapped, even when they can see a path out. One person put it best, “people will remain trapped in addiction until they finally decide that they want to be free.” She kept asking us, how can she help these people? We told her that prayer was her best and most powerful tool. We all also encouraged her to never give up on her friends. We told her to keep encouraging them, praying and hoping that they would take the path to their freedom. 

            One individual concluded that we are all weak and broken in different ways. We each have a need for our Savior’s help to change and overcome the struggles that we face. Your struggles are real to you and my struggles are real to me. We all want to live right for God, but we have to learn to let Him help us.

            The Bible tells us that none of us are righteous or always make the right choices. Thankfully, the book of Romans teaches us that while none of us is good enough to earn God’s favor, God in His mercy and love made a way for us to be right with Him. When we invite Jesus to be our Savior, He comes to live inside us. It’s Him living inside of me that makes me right with God. The Bible makes it clear that there is nothing I can do. It is the free gift of God to all who will open their hearts to receive it.

            The only hope I have to change is inviting Jesus to live inside me. He will help me change, making me righteous in the process. Anything I might try to do in my own strength counts as nothing. I have to learn to work with Jesus if I hope to bring lasting change and eternal rewards. If I ever hope to live a better life I have to live by faith in Christ and what He does in and through me.

            I want to encourage you to invite Jesus to live in you and to work through you. Real change in your life comes when you allow Christ to work out your salvation in and through you. Knowing you don’t have to do it on your own ought to give you courage to press through the challenges. He wants the best for you and will work in you if you invite Him in. Open the door of your heart to Him and watch what He can do as you cooperate with Him.

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

By Doug Creamer

It’s OK to Rest

            On the morning of the 4^th of July, I opened Facebook to see the many patriotic pictures that my friends had posted. Most of my friends were posting pictures of family, friends, and pets all decked out in red, white, and blue. Some people posted videos of fireworks, which were fun to watch.

            I was looking forward to my family gathering. Many years ago, my wife and I hosted the family gathering, which included some fun times over at the Faith festival and an afternoon water fight. The water fights always started with squirt guns but ended up with the water hoses. We would all get soaked, but we created memories that will last for a lifetime.

            My brother and I are teaching our grand-nephews about water fights. We started this year with squirt guns because the boys are little. The family gathering was great this year, and included delicious food, plenty of laughter, and a fireworks display. It is nice to spend some time with family and relax.

            It is also nice that for one day we as a country can forget our political differences and celebrate that we are Americans. We are blessed to live in the best country in the world. We are thankful for all the men and women who have served and are serving in our military. We are also thankful for all the police, firefighters, and EMS workers who work tirelessly to keep us safe here at home.

            The 4^th of July afforded me a few days off from work. I know I am only working part-time, but I still enjoy having a few days off. Before the break started I was thinking about what I wanted to get done while I was off. I had a mental list going, but never wrote it down. As I told you recently, I like having lists so I can check things off and get that feeling of accomplishment.        

The first couple of days off I slept and did very little. I had been burning the candle at both ends and my body just wanted to rest. I tried to get motivated, with few results. I had the opportunity to catch up with a few friends and relished those moments. I did all my regular chores but found myself reading, watching TV, and trolling the internet.

            I did some small, quiet tasks that have been on my radar. I worked peacefully out in my garden weeding, mulching, and replanting where the rabbits and squirrels have eaten and ruined some areas. I can see where I cleaned, straightened, and put things away, and it makes me feel good. There is always more to do.

            I noticed something the last couple of days of my break. There is this little spark inside. There is a little life that has rekindled. I really can’t explain it. I just know it’s there. I feel ready to engage, ready to get back to teaching. The flame inside is small and it will need to be guarded and fed, but there is something stirring and it feels good. It is a feeling of being refreshed.

            I stay busy and on the go. I find it difficult to unplug and slow down. Resting is an important spiritual principle. To be honest, it’s not one I am very good at doing. God worked for six days to create our universe, and then He rested on the seventh day. Jesus sent the crowds away and His disciples across the lake so He could climb the mountain and have some disengaged quiet time with His Father.

            Sometimes we can disengage at the beach or while going for a hike in the mountains. Our soul and spirit need times to quietly reflect. We can push ourselves at critical moments and our bodies will help us push through, but then we need to find a way to take a deep breath and rest. Everyone recharges their batteries in different ways. The key is to know yourself and give yourself permission to rest. There will always be a list waiting, but disengaging and resting can help you find renewed energy and creativity.

            I encourage you to consider how you get refreshed and then give yourself the permission to do what you need to do to get the rest you require. Working from a place of rest will help you ultimately become more productive. Your mind will work better and your body will cooperate. Invite God into your place of rest and allow His Spirit to infuse yours. Jesus and God both rested. It’s okay for you to rest, too. 

By Doug Creamer

            The last couple of weeks have been busy. I have been working hard trying to get things done. I make lists of things that need to get done and they help me focus on what needs my attention the most. Sometimes I am provided a “honey do” list and I will work on those, too. I love the feeling of scratching things off the list.

            Someone asked me if I work on the easy ones first or the hard ones. It is tempting to pick some easy ones in order to get that sense of accomplishment. Some items on the list I don’t really want to do. Those items may linger and reappear on future lists.  

            I am not sure where the idea of lists came from in my life. I think I learned it from professional journal articles talking about how to be more efficient. I may have learned it from my mother, who always has lists. My wife often makes lists as well, especially when planning a trip. Wherever it originated, I use lists in my professional and personal life.

            I have been burning the candle at both ends for several weeks. I had the feeling that I had more to do than time to get it all done. Sometimes when life gets to pressing me my quiet time can get squeezed. I imagine that I am not the only one who allows a busy schedule to squeeze out the Lord. I hate it, but sadly, it has happened.

            In the spring of this year our church dug out all our old landscaping and planted some new shrubs around the front of the church. I was so excited to see the new plants and to be a part of freshening up the outside look of our church. It took a little over two weekends to get all the work done, and I love how it turned out.

            Normally, we get consistent rains and warm temperatures through mid-July. This year we have been lacking rain and having excessive heat. That is not good for new landscaping. I have been at the church a couple times a week trying to keep everything watered. It’s too hot to water in the afternoon, so I have to go in the morning or evening.

            On Sunday I decided I would water before Sunday school. I was running out of time but still had some watering to do. I decided to finish the watering and be a little late for Sunday school. As I continued watering, the story of Mary and Martha went through my head. I was choosing to get the work done instead of sitting at the feet of Jesus. If you know me, you know I always want to be at the feet of Jesus.

            Sunday school was good, but guilt nagged me as I entered the sanctuary. As I listened to the prelude music the nagging continued. In the midst of the music another voice whispered in my ear, “Don’t let guilt and worry keep you from Me.” This voice was filled with grace and love. I immediately engaged with the worship and found myself engulfed in His loving arms.  

            We all have a little Martha in us. I’ve seen it all my life on Pot-Luck Sundays. A group of women will jump up just before the sermon ends to get things ready for us to have lunch. They bless the congregation through their service. When you miss church because you are caring for a loved one who needs you you’re being a blessing.

            My pastor said something the other day that has stirred in my spirit. You have to look at the heart of a person. It made me think about this familiar story in a different light. Jesus wasn’t rebuking Martha for serving. She was doing exactly what she was supposed to be doing. Martha was serving the Lord. Mary needed to hear something in what Jesus was teaching and she wouldn’t be denied. Mary would join Martha shortly in serving.

            I want to encourage you to find ways you can help in your church so you can serve the King. Sometimes you might have to miss the sermon because you are serving the kids in children’s church or helping to get the pot-luck on the table. We have been called just like Jesus to serve others. Some things, like watering the plants or washing the dishes after a pot-luck may not feel significant or spiritual, but Jesus notices that you are serving Him. I encourage you to find a way to be a blessing to others through serving.  

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

By Doug Creamer

Our Memories

            My family got together last weekend to celebrate Father’s Day and my older sister’s birthday. Which birthday we celebrated, I can’t publish in the paper if I want to remain alive. My little sister was able to attend, which meant that all my siblings were together at one time. That does not happen very often. Of course, we forgot to take a picture together.

            My brother created a fun activity for the evening. We were to share our earliest recollection of my sister, and our best memory of time spent with her. My best memory was easy. My sister worked for the National Park system as a lifeguard on the Outer Banks. I went down to stay with her for several nights. One night we went outside and watched for shooting stars. There was supposed to be a meteor shower that night, and we had the clearest, darkest sky I have ever seen.

            We lay on the picnic table and watched the night sky. The Milky Way was incredible. I never knew there were that many stars in the sky. We saw so many meteors that night, it was unbelievable. There was one that was brilliantly bright, right overhead. The smoke from that one was in the sky for a few moments. I have never forgotten that night.

            Dad thought it would be interesting to hear which house was our favorite from growing up. We moved a lot when we were kids, so there were many from which to choose. My Dad chose one where my parents had made many friends. I chose one where I had my own room, even though I had another room in one house with a beautiful skylight that opened. I am not sure my parents know that I used to go out that skylight and sit on the roof.

            My older sister talked with me after the gathering and questioned my memory about the first time I had my own room. It took me a couple of days to remember other houses where I had my own room. How did I forget? Several family members commented during our gathering that sometimes we don’t have accurate memories.

            In a different conversation with my parents we were discussing major events in our lives. My parents remembered events that they thought were huge and impactful that I didn’t even remember occurring. Events that I thought were life-altering, they didn’t have any memory of at all. It is interesting what we remember and how we remember those events occurring.

            The memories we have shape our lives. We all have good ones and bad ones. But one of the great things about our spiritual lives is that God doesn’t remember any of the bad or sinful things we have done if we have confessed our sins. Our pasts are completely washed away by the precious blood of Jesus. He promises to throw the sinful memories of those things away.

            We have to learn to be like God in two important ways. First, we have to learn to forgive ourselves. If God has forgiven us, we can learn to forgive ourselves. We live in broken human bodies that are going to sin and fail God, but when we turn back to Him it’s all gone. Second, we need to learn to forgive others. If God can forgive us, we have to learn to forgive others. Remember, they are human too and will make mistakes. While we can remember the wrongs done against us, we have to strive to forgive those who wrong us.

            I think the next thing we need to work on is focusing on remembering the good things. God is so wonderful and gracious towards us. He has blessed us in so many ways. We need to reflect and remember those things. We need to count our blessings and remember His goodness towards us. We need to remember all the ways He has helped us and answered our prayers. It is a good thing when our hearts are filled with thanksgiving.

            I want to encourage you to reflect on the good things in your life. Be thankful for your family, friends, church, neighbors, and all the many blessings God has bestowed upon you. Take your eyes off your failures and put them on your redeemer. Exchange all the worries you have for tomorrow for gratitude for all the ways God has come through for you in the past. When we can remember the goodness of God from the past it will help us to trust Him with the future. Don’t forget, God is working hard to plan a great future for you.  

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

By Doug Creamer

            I take the trash out late at night. Often, I will turn out the spotlights and stand in my yard to look at the stars. It’s quiet and I love those few moments outside. Some nights I get lucky and see some shooting stars. Other nights I have watched satellites and even the International Space Station go by overhead. Most nights I look at the stars and enjoy the few moments of peace.

            Last night I saw a white spot out in the yard. I knew it was the rabbit that has been hanging around. Then I saw a second white spot and wondered if the white rabbit had found a friend. I got a small flashlight and went to check out the situation.

            The first white spot was the rabbit. The second spot was the neighbor’s white cat. I shooed the cat away. I went and got a bigger flashlight to be sure the coast was clear. The white rabbit is good; he stays out of the vegetable garden. The wild rabbits have not been good; I have to chase them away from the vegetables quite often. I had to replant some vegetables because the rabbits have been enjoying them.

            I was doing some weeding the other day when I noticed evidence of deer chewing the buds of some daylilies. We wait all year to see those glorious blooms, and some deer ate them. I have to wrap my blueberry bushes to keep the birds and squirrels out of them.

            It seems there are always thieves who want to steal from us. While rabbits, squirrels, and deer are cute in their own way, I don’t want them stealing from my garden. I work out there so I can enjoy the fruit of my labor. I know that I have to protect things if I hope to enjoy the harvest.

            Vigilance is required in many areas of our lives, especially in our spiritual lives. We have an enemy to our souls who wants to steal, kill, and destroy us. He operates in very subtle ways to distract us and keep us away from God. If he can keep us away from God, he can keep us away from our source of strength and power.  

            Sunday morning is a prime example. When do many families have fights and disagreements? Just before church, so they will be thinking about that instead of what God wants to do in their lives. If you are fuming at your kids or your mate, how can you quiet your spirit and receive what God has for you that day?

            One of the ways I find myself distracted is by his subtle whispers. He will tell me that I am a sinner totally unworthy of God’s love and affection. He will remind me of my many failures. He will tell me that God doesn’t want someone like me in His holy presence. If I am not careful, I will believe those lies. It is easy to allow self-doubt, discouragement, worry, or fear to invade my mind.

            If I spend Sunday morning wrestling with all those bad thoughts then I will miss the whole reason I went to church. Meanwhile, the thief is laughing at his victory. One of the things I have been learning lately is that some of the thoughts I have aren’t mine. Some of the thoughts that run through my mind are being planted by the thief. My job is to take those thoughts captive and give them to God. I don’t have to play with those bad thoughts.

            We all know that we are sinners, but Jesus paid the price for all our sins. If we have confessed our sins, then they are forgiven and forgotten. If worry is trying to capture my mind, then I need to give that to God, too. He holds my life in His hands and He has all the details under His control. If I am feeling discouraged, I need to let the Holy Spirit know because He is the encourager of our souls. If I am struggling with self-doubt, I only need to look at the Father who loves me and receives me with open arms.

            I want to encourage you to run to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…they want to be with you. Why do you think the enemy works so hard to draw you away? The enemy knows that once you are in the Father’s arms you know you are loved and accepted. We are the sons and daughters of God…loved, forgiven, hopeful, and confident that He holds our future in His hands.

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

By Doug Creamer

            My sister-in-law loves rabbits. The problem is that she is allergic to them. That does not diminish her love for them. My wife and her sister had rabbits as pets when they were little. Their father built a nice hutch for the rabbits, and they loved playing with them.  I have heard many stories over the years about their rabbits.

            If my wife and I see a rabbit we immediately think of her sister. A few months ago there was a beautiful white rabbit hopping around our yard. We knew it was a pet that had escaped and caught it. We put pictures on the community Facebook page and had many people who wanted the bunny. It found a nice home. I wrote about the adventures of that rabbit to my sister-in-law and she loved the stories.

            We have several wild rabbits living in the woods who visit our yard. They are allowed to visit as long as they stay out of the vegetable garden. One day I looked out and saw a bunny rolling around in the middle of my garden. I chased him away. Another day I looked out and saw two ears sticking up in the middle of my beans. I hurried out to my garden. I arrived to find a bunny trying to look innocent, but there was a bean leaf hanging out of his mouth.

            The bunny antics have continued, with a new white rabbit appearing last week. My neighbor hopes I will adopt it, and I hope she will. Meanwhile the bunny has been entertaining us. We look out for him every day. He has become chummy with the wild bunnies, who seem to have accepted him. I have sent several stories of the bunny antics to my sister-in-law, who has been enjoying the saga.

            The new white rabbit has obviously been around people. It will come right up to you. It gets just close enough that you think you might pet him and then he hops quickly away. My neighbor and I have both come within inches of touching the bunny before he scampers away. He doesn’t go far, just enough to be out of reach. If you move towards him he will take a few more hops and look back to see if you are coming.

            I have been thinking a lot about this game with the white bunny. He comes close but stays just out of reach. I think that many people are the same way with God. We want to be close to God; in fact, we will run right up to Him. Then, when God reaches out for us, we scurry away… not too far, but just out of reach. Why do we do that?

            Are we afraid? He is God. He is righteous and holy, and we are not. Maybe we are afraid He might expose something we are trying to keep hidden. Maybe we are afraid that He is going to catch us, only to reject us. Why do we run away?

            The answer is not simple. Some people have not grown up with a father, or theirs was abusive. Others grew up with fathers who were physically present but emotionally distant. Some fathers are workaholics and don’t spend time with their kids. Any of these experiences can leave us with a bad image as we try to translate that to our Heavenly Father. People in these situations believe the lie that their Heavenly Father is the same way.

            Others run away from God because they feel that they are unworthy of His love due to past sins or moral failures in their lives. These people believe the lie that Jesus’ blood is not sufficient for them. It may even be that they can believe that God might forgive them, but they cannot forgive themselves.

            The good news is that your Heavenly Father is not like your earthly father. Your Heavenly Father loves you unconditionally. There is no sin you have committed or mistake you have made that isn’t covered in the precious blood of Jesus. You are a highly favored child of God if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior.

            I want to encourage you to stop running away from God and allow Him to capture your heart. He knows everything about you and loves you more than any human ever could. If you feel you need forgiveness, just ask, because that work has already been done on the cross. He wants you close to Him. Stop resisting and run to Him. Let His love fill your heart.  

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

By Doug Creamer

            It has been a tough year for many home gardeners. We had some late frosts and cold spells. I was late getting started. When I had time, it was either too cold or raining. When the weather was good, I was busy with other things and couldn’t get to my garden.

            Over Memorial weekend I finally finished planting my garden. I put some things out at the beginning of May and they are up and growing. I saw my first tomato blossoms. I put in a number of seeds yesterday and now I am excited to see them come up.

            I am trying an experiment this year. I have four raised beds for my vegetables. I tilled two of them earlier. I never got around to tilling the others up. The leaves from last fall are still lying on top of the soil. I didn’t have time to till and I have heard people say it is better not to till the soil. For the remaining two beds, I just pushed the leaves back and planted. It felt wrong, but I had to get my garden planted. I will let you know how it turns out. 

            In one of those beds that I did till early I had hoped to plant my peas. I know peas like cooler weather. I never had the time to get them in. While I was working I was trying to decide if it would be worth it to plant the peas. I have the space and decided to plant them.

            As I planted those peas I thought about why we plant gardens. We plant them because we are hopeful for a good growing season and harvest. It’s hope that sends me out to the garden each day to see if those little seeds sprouted. I believe and am hopeful.

            I realize it takes more than hope to get a harvest. It takes watering, weeding, and keeping the pests out. We need to remember to add fertilizer and lime if we want the conditions to be right for a harvest. My mouth is watering just thinking about what will happen if everything works right.

            Hope is a powerful force. It drives me out there each year to try again. Some years are successful and I enjoy a bountiful harvest. Other years we get heavy rains and the potatoes drown. The rabbits, squirrels, and deer enjoy the harvest instead of me. But I will go out each spring because I hope that I will get to enjoy the harvest.

            Today is Memorial Day, a day that we remember all the men and women who went to fight and defend our nation and did not come home. One has to imagine that they gave their lives in hopes that their children and grandchildren could live in peace and harmony. They died as Americans defending our ideals and principles.

            Sometimes I wonder what is going on? One political party hates the other. How is that united? Families suffer from gun violence in our schools and communities. Where is the peace? There is social injustice in a land that was built on freedom and justice for all. We are divided over how to fight a virus that has claimed a million American lives. These and many other things divide us and keep us from what the people we honor on this day died to protect.

            But me, I like to find hope in the midst of the darkness. I think about neighbors reaching out to help one another in times of need. I think about all the people who rush to the aid of those who are suffering a tragedy, like a hurricane hitting our coast. I think about the many Americans who have gone to Ukraine to feed and clothe the refugees. I think about the many Americans who donate blood in times of tragedy. I think about the people who work with hospice to help in someone’s final days. I think about the police, firefighters, and EMS workers who come to help without asking or caring what you think or believe.

            I want to encourage you to look for the good in other people and to be a part of those who are planting hope. Love and hope have always defeated the darkness in this world. We need to focus on the good. For those of you who have lost family and friends while serving this great nation…I thank you and honor you. Let’s all work to change our corner of the world for the better. I believe that at our core we are a great nation filled with good people. God bless America, and fill us with faith, hope, and love.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I recently received an email from a colleague at East Davidson High School. My colleague informed me that one of my former students had won a scholarship, and had mentioned me as a role model in his life during the interview process for the scholarship. My colleague wondered if I would like to come back to East and present the scholarship to him. How could I turn down that opportunity?

            East Davidson has their awards day in the gym on what is typically the hottest day of the year. I attended 18 of those events, and began to wonder if sitting in that hot gym was actually what I wanted to do. Thankfully, God had mercy on everyone and delivered a cooler day.

            After I arrived and checked in, I started to bump into old friends and colleagues. It was so wonderful to see people who I had worked alongside, and to have a few minutes to catch up. We talked about how things had changed since I retired. Some of my colleagues talked about how COVID had affected them, their families, and how they taught through it. They were all glad that things were settling down some and they were getting back to what we all remember as routines.

            I had the opportunity to personally thank a few people who served as references for my current job. I deeply appreciate their help and have great respect for the role they played in my life. I count it an honor and privilege to be considered their colleague and friend.

            When I walked into the gym to find my seat a former student waved me over to sit with him. David was also a DECA member who did very well at both the district and State DECA competitions. He graduated and is now attending N.C. State. It was wonderful to talk with him and to hear about his hopes and dreams…another Golden Eagle who is soaring.

            As David and I talked, we realized that we were both there to honor the same student. I taught Matthew when he was a freshman. He was in my Principles of Business class. His grades were outstanding, just like I heard from other teachers about his character. He always worked hard in my classroom and was a very respectful young man. Matthew stayed in contact with me after I retired because he has a dream to publish a book.

            After the ceremony I got the opportunity to talk with him. He has his college and career plans firmly in place. We shared about our lives since I retired. He is still the same respectful young man I knew when I taught him. By the time you read this in the paper, He will be another Golden Eagle soaring from the nest at East Davidson.

            Several colleagues asked if I missed East Davidson. I miss seeing my colleagues and teaching students like Matthew and David, but that chapter of my life has come to a close. I am thankful for the experiences, opportunities, and the memories that will never fade. Now I find myself on a new adventure, a new chapter that I am thoroughly enjoying.

            I think it is important for us to look back at our past. We have learned so much in our spiritual journey, and we need to remind ourselves of our victories. God wants us to have a strong faith, so He will allow us to face challenges. Our job is to remember how God helped us in the past and know and trust that He will help us through our current trials.

            It is also good to reflect back on our prayers and see the many ways and times that God has answered our prayers. Our prayers change situations and circumstances. Why? Because we have a God who delights to answer our prayers. Battles are won in prayer through persistence and perseverance. It is good to review our victories and refresh our faith in troubled times.

            I want to encourage you to look back on your life and look for the many times and ways God has come through for you in critical moments. Looking back, we can often see God’s hand guiding us through the difficult times. He is always with us. He promises never to leave or forsake us. He is always making good plans for our future. God wants us to have a good trip through life, but He knows that there will be some bumps along the way. Looking back we can see His faithfulness and that will help us trust Him as we move forward into our future.

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

By Doug Creamer

Three Lessons

            I received the opportunity to speak at church last week. When I started to plan what I might say, I reached back into my past. The more I prayed and thought about it, the more I felt like the Lord was leading in a different direction. He wanted me to talk about things that I was currently working through in my walk of faith.

            I wasn’t interested in sharing current issues, but you can imagine who won that debate. The more I tried to pull and change the direction which I felt the Lord leading me, the more I realized that I was fighting a losing battle. I would much rather talk about things that I had already overcome, places where I found the victory in my life.

            No one has arrived spiritually; I am no exception. I struggle to live out the faith that I profess, and the truth is that I fail along the way. The journey of faith comes with many ups and downs. If I am going to speak or write about my journey, I think I would prefer to focus on the times when things are looking up.

            I have shared many testimonies with people about how God brought me through some dark times of my life. In sharing those stories and testimonies I always end with my arrival on the other end. I like to share with people about how God helped me and the lessons I learned through the dark and challenging places in life.

            How do you share with people the lessons that you haven’t learned yet? You can’t tell your listeners, “Here’s how I made it through” if you are in the middle of those lessons yourself. All you can tell people is that this is the lesson I am trying to learn, and this is what God is showing me in the midst of this lesson. I can also point to the grace that God is extending to me in the middle of the lesson.

One of the best things I can point to as a teacher is those in the Bible who have learned the lessons I am trying to learn. God gives us plenty of examples of people who have gone through the lessons that we are trying to learn so we will have faith in Him through the process. Those biblical examples show us how to apply our faith to our current circumstances.

            By now I imagine your curiosity must be stirred about what lessons I am trying to learn. The first lesson involves the simple truth that we can’t fix ourselves. We have to find where God wants to work in our lives and join Him in the process. Sometimes He picks big things and sometimes He picks little things. The key is to find where He is working and work with Him.

            The second lesson is that we have to trust God. That sounds like an elementary lesson until God brings up areas of our lives where we like to be in control. We are His children and He is in control of all areas of our lives, or at least that is how it is supposed to be. Then He points to an area and tells you that you are trusting yourself, not Him. That’s when the work begins.

            The final lesson may seem a little ironic, but God doesn’t always feel like He needs to work on us. Sometimes God just wants to be with us. While there is always work that needs to be done, as long as we are on this side of heaven, God knows that we need to rest. Growth and change in our lives takes time. Strong solid growth takes time. God wants our faith to be solid so He is in it for the long haul to see us grow and mature in our faith.

            I want to encourage you in three specific ways. First, ask God what He wants to work on in your life. Focus your efforts there. Things will go more smoothly that way. Second, give yourself a break. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect, and He is invested in you for the long haul. He believes in you and sees a bright future for you. Finally, trust Him with the entire process. He knows exactly how to shape you into the image of who He has destined you to be. He knows what He is doing and He has your best interests at heart. These aren’t easy, and I can say that because these are the lessons He is trying to teach me. I am learning by His grace.   

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