Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            I had lunch with some of my family the other day. My nephew, who is moving his family from Montana to North Carolina, was there. He is moving both his family and his business to be closer to family. In a way, I felt a little bad for my nephew as he was on the hot seat, as we all asked him lots and lots of questions about his big move.

            My nephew is building and growing a business, which has many challenges. Then he complicated the issue by deciding to move his business from one state to another. He has done a ton of research to create a unique product and to build and define a market for his product. He is pursuing a lifelong passion.

            As we enjoyed our lunch, the family offered ideas, insights, and probing questions to help him think through the process of how to set up and expand his small business. Listening to my nephew share his dreams and vision for the future stirred all of us. His entrepreneurial drive was almost as contagious as COVID.

            I hope my nephew thought his family was being encouraging, positive, and supportive of his adventure. There was much wisdom to be gained at that table. While none of us wanted to tell him what to do, we did want to offer advice, insight, and encouragement to spur him on to success. I think my nephew was open and receptive to the ideas being shared.

            There is so much help available at our community colleges for people who have entrepreneurial dreams. There are also groups like SCORE, which is an organization of volunteer working and retired professionals who want to help fledgling and established small businesses thrive. Our family wants to support my nephew and see him make it.

            Last week I wrote about the need for developing a team to support and encourage you in your Christian walk. This week I want to focus on our need for elders to guide us as we pursue a life of faith. When I use this term elder, I am not limiting it to the people who have that title at our churches, or to people in our lives who are older.

            In my mind an elder can be someone who has been through what you are walking through in your life. If your parents pass away, an elder for you can be someone who has navigated that grief process. Having someone who has walked in your shoes can be so helpful.

            I imagine a college student can be an elder for a high school student as they finish high school and embark on the college adventure. Sometimes someone who might be close in age to you, but has walked through what you are experiencing, can give you an elder’s guidance.

            I know that I have talked with several friends who are going through the retirement process from the school system. I love sharing my experience and helping people understand what to expect and how to make the critical decisions that will impact retirement.

            The Christian faith is not an easy path to walk. While it is critical to have teammates who will encourage and challenge us along the way, it is equally important to find elders who can guide us. We need people to look up to, someone we can emulate. I know no one is perfect. We are all sinners saved by grace. Even our elders can make mistakes and bad choices, but elders have the scars and experience we need to show us the way.

            Some may call elders our spiritual fathers and mothers. Spiritual parents have a way of looking out for us and wanting the very best for us. Pastors often make great elders, but they don’t have time to be an elder for every member of their congregation. We need people who are walking down similar paths. We need someone who has been there and done that. Elders will encourage and challenge us much like our teammates, but their experience, wisdom, and deep personal care for our success help them to stand out.

            I want to encourage you to look for someone who is on the path ahead of you that you respect and admire. See if they have time to invest in your future. Is their faith strong and do they challenge you to a closer walk with God? Are they willing to share their wisdom and experiences with you? A good elder will probably grow into a good friend, someone you will treasure as you walk along the path that they have blazed ahead of you.

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

By Doug Creamer

            Last Sunday most people watched a football game with some commercials. I watched commercials with some football. If you are a Tom Brady fan then you got to see an older player perform exceptionally well on the field. If you are not, then it was a long game for you.

            The commercials did not disappoint. Dolly Parton turned her 9-5 song into a 5-9 song for one. It was good to see Tracy Morgan doing commercials. Bruce Springsteen’s promotion about the chapel in the center of our country really grabbed me. There were plenty of stars, and it’s always fun to see who might be in the ads.

            I really enjoy much of what takes place before the game. The pageantry and the patriotic nature of the videos and songs can stir your spirit. This year there was an emphasis on unity and the power a good competitive event has to bring our nation together. There was the message from the President, the young poet, singing America the Beautiful, and of course, our National Anthem. It makes you feel good to be an American and that there are good people living across this great and beautiful land.

            Most of you know that I do not follow sports. I do not know the buildup to this big game. I just sit down to watch what I hope will be a close and exciting game. From my novice eyes it appeared to be a battle between a youthful quarterback and one with much experience. Youth is always hopeful that they can take experience down a peg. In the end, experience outperformed youth.

            In the Christian walk, we hope that experience can outperform youth. We hope that we learn some things along the way so we can walk out our faith. But the truth is, no matter how long you have walked with the Lord, you are going to get knocked down at times. Experience teaches us how to get back up, but sometimes we need our teammates help to get back on our feet.

            God never intended for any of us to walk out our faith alone. We need each other to successfully fight our way through to victory. We need to surround ourselves with people who believe in us and will challenge and encourage us. I have family, friends, and my pastor who are on “team Doug.” If they see my life going in the wrong direction, they are quick to encourage, challenge, push, pull, or do whatever it takes to get me back on track.

            In the same way, I will do the same thing for them. I know that I have the gift of encouragement and that God uses me in that way with other people. I want to use my gifts to honor the Lord and to encourage others to press on. The Christian walk is a battle that causes us to grow stronger daily. But there are still going to be those times when we are going to have to come together to engage in battle to overcome and find victory.

            God intends us to win the victory. That implies that God knows that we are going to fight battles. He knows keeping the faith is going to require our best effort. He knows that the enemy of our soul strikes when we are weak. When was Jesus tempted? When he had completed a 40 day fast and He was hungry. What does the Bible tell us the devil did after Jesus overcame the temptations? The devil left Jesus and decided to come back at a more opportune time.

            If the devil is going to attack us when we are weak, then we need to make sure we have people who will fight for us and with us so we can win the victory. I know the battle is the Lord’s and that He Himself will come and fight for me. I also know that victory comes through the power of prayer, through words of encouragement, and through the endurance I discover because I have brothers and sisters who will not let me quit.

            I want to encourage you to determine who are your teammates. Who are the people you can count on when the chips are down? Who is going to stand beside you and fight when you feel too weak to fight for yourself? Who is going to bring you that word of encouragement when you feel the darkness closing in? Lock arms with your teammates. You are going to need each other. I know you are going to see the victory because my God never fails.  

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

By Doug Creamer

            I was out enjoying a nice walk the other day when my eye caught an interesting sight. There was some mistletoe growing in a tree. I’ve seen mistletoe before, that isn’t what was unusual about the sight. This mistletoe was growing low in the tree. I mean, I could walk up and touch it. I enjoyed seeing the green leaves in the middle of the drab winter.

            I began to walk away with a smile, when I felt the Lord drawing me back to this tree. I try to listen when I get these little tugs on my heart. I took a second look. This time I was struck by how the mistletoe was attached to the tree. Mistletoe puts its roots into the bark and actually draws its energy and life from the tree sap.

            Now my mind was whirling. Naturally, I began thinking about Jesus’ teaching of the vine and the branches. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches that have been graphed in. We draw our life, our energy, from Jesus. He uses us, the branches, to reach out to the world with His great love. He wants to see us produce the fruit in our lives that comes from intimacy with God.

            I received His message and again began to walk away. I had only taken a few steps and was drawn back yet again. I looked at the mistletoe, and then I saw some bright green moss growing on the side of the tree. This is the kind of moss you tend to see on the ground. It was a delight to see.

            I took a closer look at the truck of the tree and discovered lots of different kinds of lichen. Even some of limbs had different varieties of lichen. It began to occur to me that this was something more than a lesson on the vine and branches.

            I asked God what He wanted me to see. I looked closely at these different lichen and moss and saw that each one was thriving in its environment. Each species found its place and interacted with the tree in its own unique way.

            If the tree did represent God, then He was interacting with each of these things in His own unique way. Then, the thoughts began to flood my mind. God was showing me that He interacts with each one of us in His own unique way. We are unique individuals and we each see God differently.

            It should be obvious. We all have unique backgrounds and experiences, and they shape our view of the world and of how we see God. If you grew up in a loving home, it might be easier for you to imagine your loving Heavenly Father. However, if you were raised by a single mother, or your father was abusive to you, then it might be difficult for you to imagine a loving Heavenly Father. Your experience doesn’t leave room for a loving father. Imagine the challenge for those who had an absent father.

            What God began showing me was that He is willing to go to great lengths to reach out and connect with people. He was also showing me that He interacts with each of us in His own unique way. I don’t see and experience God the same way as you, and vice versa. My grandmother once told me that she experienced God’s presence in absolute stillness and in singing old hymns. I need a little more upbeat music and an opportunity to express myself. God meets each of us uniquely.

            This is why it is so vital for us to be in fellowship with each other. I see God in ways you don’t and I might be able to help you when you are struggling. You have experienced God in ways I haven’t and you might be able to encourage me when I am struggling. Your experiences and understanding are different because God is so big and He interacts with you in ways that you will understand. None of us understands all His ways.

            I want to encourage you to open your hearts to the idea that God is so big that He interacts with each of us uniquely. He loves each of us way beyond what we can think and understand. I also believe that He will go to extraordinary measures to reach the lost. Any God that would allow His Son to die on a tree so that He could have a relationship with me is a God I want to know better. So let’s make room and learn from each other about the wonders of our awesome God. Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

            My dryer needed some repairs. They weren’t urgent, but they needed to get done. I have the ability to do some repairs. My nephew has a power washer that needed some repairs and I was able to do that. But for many things, I call my brother. He just has this amazing ability to understand how things work and what part needs to be replaced.

            In the case of my dryer, I knew what part was broken, but I had no idea how to repair it. My brother found some YouTube videos that explained exactly what to do, step-by-step. After watching the videos, I still wanted his help. In the end, I am really glad my brother came over because I am pretty sure I wouldn’t have been successful on my own.

            My brother has always been great at fixing things. He says that now with the help of YouTube videos he is willing to try just about anything. I think many videos make it look easier than it really is because they are professionals. There are certain tricks to every trade that can make tasks easier. There are also people, like my brother, who seem more mechanically inclined.

            Almost all plumbing projects are a nemesis to me. I always end up with a little container under the joint to catch the drip when I am done. I recently replaced the faucet in a bathroom and I just can’t seem to get it to stop dripping. After multiple attempts, I discovered a leak in the hose. Hopefully, a new hose will solve the problem.

            When things break, I will sometimes make an attempt to fix them. Often I like to find someone with the knowledge to get things going again. Through the years I have had my brother and some friends fix things for me, but sometimes they think we need to get a professional. Sometimes things do require a professional to get it done right and safely.

            We all get knocked down at times in life. When that happens, we treat it like something around the house that needs repairs. We pull ourselves back up by our own boot straps. Most of us don’t like asking for help. It’s a form of pride. I got knocked down and I will get back up. 

            For many things in life, we can do that. Then there are times that we need to lean on family and friends. I have some neighbors and friends who have been in the hospital for extended periods of time. When they got home, they needed lots of help. Family and neighbors brought food and offered whatever help was needed.

            When people are going through grief, I struggle to know what to do to help. I have been told by many that the best thing to do is be there and let them talk. I can sit and listen, but it feels so inadequate. When we go through seasons of grief, we need each other.

            Addiction is another situation where people find their lives are broken. The trouble with addiction is that the person has to admit to themselves that they are hooked on something. When a person gets to that point, then they can begin the steps to recovery, with the help of others.

            In every situation in life, it takes faith and knowing that Jesus will walk with you through whatever you face. He promises to never leave you or forsake you. When the religious leaders of Jesus’ day asked why he was hanging around with broken and sinful people, he replied that it’s the sick who need a doctor. He said God desires that we show mercy to others more than making sacrifices to Him.

            I think Jesus wants us to be His hands and feet when we see people who are broken and in need. I often don’t know what to do or say to help. Jesus made Himself available with no condemnation, just plenty of love and mercy. He often extended forgiveness, which helps to begin the process of deep inner healing. His words were kind and gentle. He was moved by His compassion. People found hope and acceptance in His eyes.

            I want to encourage you to consider how you might be God’s ambassador, His representative, His hands and feet to the people He has placed in your life. Sometimes the simplest favors, a few kind words, or a shoulder to cry on can spark hope and faith. Taking a moment to listen and show compassion can unveil God’s love. I wonder how different our world would be if we all lived with more understanding, love, care, mercy, and compassion?

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

By Doug Creamer

            I admit that I am obsessed with weather. It might be more than a hobby for me. I look at the models daily to watch upcoming storms. I am always amazed at how radically a model can change from one run to another. One run can show a snowstorm, the next there won’t be a storm, and then there’s a rainstorm. It reminds me how difficult it must be to forecast weather.

            What is interesting to realize is that a weather model only shows what happened in similar circumstances in the past. No two weather events are exactly the same. You may get a nice rain shower this time, but last time you had flooding rain. Last time you got snow, this time you get sleet and freezing rain. Each weather event is unique.

            I was pondering this as I looked at the weather models this morning. In predicting the weather for the future, we examine what happened in the past to develop our expectations for the future. Sometimes our predictions are correct, and sometimes they are wrong. This can happen in any area of life. If you are scheduled to play an undefeated athletic team the obvious prediction would be that you will lose. The reality is that undefeated team will at some point be defeated. Who’s to say whether or not you might be the victor?

            I think the same thing can be applied to our spiritual walk. Just because God acted a certain way in the past does not mean that He will act exactly the same in this situation. Some people may argue that the Bible teaches us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Bible is true. God’s character is the same, but He will approach situations and people in unique ways to accomplish His purpose.

            Think about children and discipline. Some children only require a look or simply one word, and they will get back in line. Other children can be told not to do something and they just keep on doing it, even if they get punished. Parents in those cases have to learn how to adapt their discipline to get their children to comply. It can also depend on whether this is the first time you are being told, or the fifth. I know that most principals that I worked for treated the first offence much differently than the fifth.

            So why would we think that God can only work in the exact same way He acted before? Sometimes God wants to test our obedience. This time put the singers and musicians in the front if you want to win the battle. Another time, you engage the warriors from the city and then start to run. When they follow you out of the city another group of men ambush the city from behind, and the victory will be yours. Another plan might be for a shepherd boy with faith and a few small stones who will defeat a giant.

            Jesus demonstrated the same thing in His ministry. For one man He simply spoke and the blind man received his sight. For another, Jesus spat and made mud and spread it on the man’s eyes. He then had to go to a specific place to wash. Jesus did different things with different people. My point being that He didn’t do it the same every time.

            We have to understand that we serve a very creative God. He wants our love and obedience. He will go to great measures and approach us in many different ways to get our attention. I try to listen and obey, but sometimes I fail. Thankfully, I haven’t needed a donkey to speak to me and tell me I was going in the wrong direction. When we put limits on how we think God is going to act then we might miss what He is doing.

            I am expecting God to do great things this year. After last year, I imagine we all want to see Him do wonderful things. That means that I have to be open, available, and obedient if I hope to see God’s marvelous and powerful hand at work in and through my life.

            I want to encourage you to raise your expectations that God is going to do something wonderful in your life. Next, I encourage you to take your limits off God. Be willing to see Him move in ways you never expected. He is creative and He deals with each person as an individual. God is good, and we can expect good things from Him. Let’s allow our creative God to move in His own unique ways.  

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

By Doug Creamer

            Many of my readers know that I am a snow fanatic. It goes beyond snow, because I love all kinds of weather phenomena. I like to track storms and try to figure out what is going to happen. I study the models and try to draw my own conclusions.

            When I was still teaching I would put my storm predictions out there for my students. I would also predict if we would have a delay or if school would be canceled. I had so much fun and my students looked forward to what I would have to say about approaching storms. They would also have lots to say if I missed it. I would take the ribbing well. I remember a colleague wrote a huge note on my board one day after I missed a prediction. I laughed and left it there all day for my students to see.

            I guess I have been fascinated by weather and its unpredictable nature most of my life. My favorite weather memory is when I was in high school. The forecast was for some snow flurries. The flurries started as predicted, but they kept coming, until two days later we had snow drifts taller than houses and buildings. Mother Nature remains unpredictable at times.

            The truth is that God can be unpredictable. He says that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. Some people falsely believe that God never changes His mind. He told Moses that He was going to destroy the people of Israel, but Moses interceded and God relented. We all know the story of Nineveh. God told Jonah to go and tell them that their city would fall in forty days. The entire city repented before God, and God showed mercy to the people. I thank God that He does change His mind. Hezekiah was told by the prophet to set his house in order because he was about to die. Hezekiah cried out to God, and before the prophet left the castle God sent him back and granted Hezekiah an additional 15 years.

            If it is impossible for God to be influenced or to change His mind, then what is the purpose of prayer? I believe I am a child of God. I also believe that God listens to my prayers. I also expect that God is going to do something about the matters I bring before Him. I understand that the answer is “no” sometimes. I also understand that tragedies still occur. I understand that there is a real devil whose job it is to steal, kill, and destroy.

            My job is to keep my eyes on Jesus. I need to listen and obey His voice. When I hear from heaven, I need to make sure that what I hear lines up with scripture and is filled with the love and mercy of God. If I am still unsure about a word I receive, I can call some good friends and my pastor to make sure what I heard resonates in their spirits.

            What happens when someone you pray for doesn’t get better? What do you do when someone you love gets lost in the world of sex, drugs, and alcohol? How do you react when the candidate you voted for doesn’t win? What is your response when you didn’t get that job you thought God promised you?

            When I face disappointment in my life, I fall on my face before God. I remind myself that He is firmly on His throne. Life isn’t fair, but God promises to make all things work together for my good. I can lean on my friends and trust that He cares more about my situation than I do. It might be time for that person to go to their heavenly home. I have to remember that God still loves and saves prodigal children. I can pray that God will raise up men and women like Daniel & Esther to advise government leaders. Maybe God closed a door because He has a better one. Maybe He wants you to pursue that entrepreneurial dream that He placed in your heart.

            The truth is we don’t understand God’s ways, or why He changes His mind, or why He allowed something to happen. But I want to encourage you to run to God, not away from Him. Turn your worries and pain over to Him. Trust His word, that He is on your side and that He will bring good things into your life. Press on. Hang on. Never give up on God. Keep praying. Believe and trust in God.

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

By Doug Creamer

            I think that most people are glad to see 2020 come to a close. It was a tough year by most standards. We watched the famous ball drop in Times Square, and welcomed 2021. My wife and I rejoiced to see the New Year born. We are hoping and believing for a better year.

            I woke up New Year’s Day hoping to see the Rose Bowl Parade. The floats are always stunning and the work that goes into them unbelievable. I wasn’t totally surprised when the parade didn’t happen. But I was pleased that the networks put together a program that celebrated the Rose Bowl tradition. It was nice to see how the floats are created. Then they showed some beautiful ones from previous years. It was a good beginning to the new year.

            One of my least favorite tasks of the new year is taking down all the Christmas decorations. I love putting them up, and hate taking them down. I usually begin outside and pack all the boxes and get them back up in the attic. It is a nice feeling to get all the boxes out of the garage and have everything all cleaned up again.

            My pastor asked the congregation on Sunday if we had made any new year’s resolutions. It was at that moment that I realized that I hadn’t even thought about it. I am not suggesting that there aren’t things that I need to improve and change. I just hadn’t given it much thought at that point.

            I did start something new this year. I am reading a new version of the Bible. Sometime in early December I decided that I wanted to try a new translation. It makes me consider God’s word and what it means in my personal life. Over the years I have read several different translations. While my standard is the NIV, this year I am giving the Passion Translation a shot. It already has my attention as it contains many footnotes. It explains why a particular word was chosen and the meaning of that word. These details really grab me and help to deepen my understanding of God and my faith.

            When you stop and think about it, a goal or resolution we should always have is to deepen our faith. I believe it is very important that our faith grows from year to year. That means we have to invest time and energy into our Christian walk. That can include many things, from Bible study to reading books, and especially, engaging with other believers, who will encourage and challenge us to a deeper walk with Christ.

            Besides growing our faith, we ought to plant some seeds of hope in our lives. I always enter a new year believing that good things are going to happen. I believe that God is going to bring good things into my life because He is a good Father. I also believe that if I am looking for the good I will find it. The reverse is true too, if we are looking for bad, we will find it. I make a conscious choice to stir my faith and base my hope on the goodness of God. God does not and will not disappoint me.

            When we think about the future, there is a bit of mystery. We have a blank canvas set before us and I choose to see that as exciting. While the year is a mystery to me, it’s not to God. He is not bound by time and He already knows what is going to happen. I am not naïve in thinking that nothing bad will happen. I do believe that God can work all things out and bring good into my life. He is planning and working on it. My job will be to listen and follow His guidance and to place all my trust in Him. Then at the end of this year, I will be able to look back and see His fingerprints all over my life.

            I want to encourage you to walk with me in faith, believing that God is planning good things for our lives. He is a creative and wonderful Father. He wants what is best for us. No situation we encounter is too big for Him. So if I put my hand in His and hold on tight, I will have a spectacular ride. 2021 is going to be a great adventure. Let’s keep our faith, hope, and trust stirred up for all the good things God has in store for us.

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

By Doug Creamer

I received word before Christmas that a special friend of mine had been exposed to COVID. I prayed and prayed that she would not get it. When the phone rang the other day and I heard my friend’s voice, I just knew that she had it. But she reassured me that she did not. She had called to tell me that a very special couple in her life had tested positive for COVID.

            The couple in question both seemed to have bad cases. The husband had all the common symptoms you hear about and felt lousy. The wife was in the hospital and her health was declining. She was doing so poorly that they decided that she needed to go on a ventilator. My friend was beside herself because she feared the worst. She asked me to pray.

            After talking about their situation for a few minutes I decided it would be good if we prayed together. My friend liked the idea. Then I heard her say that if this woman is put on a ventilator it will be hopeless. I said, “Wait a minute, we can’t start praying if we think it is hopeless.” My friend painted a bleak picture of this person’s condition.

            I told her that we can’t pray if we believe it is hopeless. We have to believe that God is bigger than COVID. We have to believe that God can change impossible circumstances. My friend knows that God can work wonders when the odds are against Him. It only took a moment to stir her faith and then we prayed in unity.

            When we finished praying my friend was encouraged. She asked if I would do her a favor. I have a hard time saying no. Then she asked if I would call the husband and pray with him. I tried to wiggle out of it. I never know what to say to a person who is struggling or suffering a loss, but my friend pressed the issue, and I agreed.

            I waited before I called. We know each other, but I haven’t seen him in quite a few years. When I reached him we talked about his own case of COVID. Then I told him that our mutual friend requested that I call and pray with him about his wife’s condition.

            His response surprised me. He said he was rejoicing. I asked him to explain. He said that they were just about to put his wife on the ventilator when suddenly she began to improve. They gave it a few minutes and she improved some more. He called to check on his wife about that time and they said that she didn’t need a ventilator. They were going to give her some oxygen and some other treatments. Then they let him talk with his wife. She reported that the pain had departed. She was very weak, but her spirits had improved.

            When I called my friend to report the dramatic improvement, she was amazed. It’s been a few days since all this happened, but this couple is slowly beginning to improve. There have been some hills and valleys along the way, but the general trend is better. I wish I could report a miraculous recovery, but due to the severity of the case, we are glad to report improvement. We all know that prayer changes circumstances.

            I am reminded of what an old pastor of mine used to tell us. You can’t begin prayer filled with doubt. We have to believe that God is bigger and greater than the way things appear. I have two good friends whose hearts stopped beating for over ten minutes, but through prayer and the hard work of the EMS staff, they survived. Both of these people, through many prayers by many folks, have returned to full and normal lives. As I said, nothing is impossible with God.

            I want to encourage you to remember that doctors have a say in our health, but they do not have the final say. No matter the circumstances that you face in any area of your life, God is bigger and can change the outcome. You have to stir your faith in a God who is bigger than the circumstance. A huge mountain is simply a bump in the road for God. I believe God hears our prayers, and I expect He will answer us because He loves His children. It often requires persistence, but if we mix it with hope and faith, I believe we will experience God’s goodness and favor.

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

By Doug Creamer

            As I sit down to write we are just a few days away from Christmas. You are now just on the other side of Christmas. I am in the anticipation state, while you have already experienced it. Our perspective on any event depends on where and when we look at the event. Our perspective can also be impacted by our past experiences.

            Our perspective on 2020 from December 31 of last year is very different from our perspective on it today. We have experienced the year and can now look back on the good and the bad. Most of us could never have imagined the impact that this virus has had on our lives. If you had told me that I would be wearing a mask in public I would have told you that you were crazy.

            I try to enter every year with a degree of hope. People who know me will tell you that I try to always find the good, even in difficult moments. It didn’t take long for that hope to get crushed as 2020 began to unfold. There have been health issues and concerns throughout my whole family and they continue to challenge us.

            Even in the midst of all the health problems of 2020, I think there are some positive things that have happened. Many families have grown closer together. At some point it was forced upon us when we were under lockdown orders. Many people have made efforts to connect or reconnect with family and loved ones.

            If we weren’t able to gather together, we made more efforts to touch base through calls, emails, and video chats. These were not ideal situations, but we made the efforts to stay in touch and to check on each other. Life has a way of getting busy and it is easy to allow ourselves to drift apart. I think COVID has reminded us of the need to stay in touch.

            I have heard that some people have reconnected with their faith because of COVID. Sadly, many churches have closed because we can’t have large group gatherings. Maybe we need to remember what Jesus said, that where two or three are gathered He is right there with us. Gathering as a church is very important for our spiritual health, but we can encourage and challenge each other to a deeper walk with God when 2 or 3 gather together, too. When churches can re-open again, we will all have to encourage each other to reconnect.

            Our perspective on God is highly influenced by the circumstances of our lives. I have seen many high school girls raise children on their own. I can easily imagine that those children would grow up thinking that God is distant. He doesn’t care about our daily needs. While I know that is not the truth, experience has taught these children that their earthly father was distant so their Heavenly Father must be, too.

            If your dad or mom was harsh, cruel, or abusive, then you may believe that God is the same way. If you were lucky enough to have great parents, then it is easier for you to imagine that you have a good, good Father in heaven. If you grew up in a church, your image of God could be influenced by your childhood pastor and Sunday school teachers.  

            The truth is the Bible tells us that we have a good, good Father who loves us. He knows every detail of your life and He loves you AND likes you, too. He knows what you are up against right now and he cares about your situation. He believes the best about you because He created you. He is actively planning a great future for you. He knows there will be good days and bad days, and is already planning to send you the help you need.

            We need to examine our perspective on God. He is the savior born in a manger for you and me, but He is also the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The entire universe is under His control. There is no detail of life that escapes His notice.

            I want to encourage you to re-examine your perspective of God. Are you allowing your experiences to shape how you see God? I challenge you to consider what God says about Himself in the Bible. He is loving, kind, merciful, forgiving, and a good, good Father. No one truly knows all about God. We can all learn more through God’s Word. I believe that will help give you a fresh perspective on the positive possibilities and the hope for 2021.

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