Doug’s Columns

Last fall, when all the winter forecasts started to post on the internet, everyone said it was going to be a cold and snowy winter. December made me a believer, with the heavy snowfall we received. I thought we were on the way to a winter wonderland. The Gulf of Mexico kept its end of the bargain and sent up copious amounts of water, there just wasn’t enough cold air around to make the snow. We do live here in the Carolinas; March can sometimes surprise us around here.

I walked out in my yard the other day and all I could find was soggy soil. There is no way I am going to be getting the tiller out in the garden anytime soon. Even though I have raised beds the ground is way too wet. With the arrival of daylight savings time, I am anxiously waiting to get started on my garden.

One of the secrets to a good garden is good soil. I have brought truckloads of soil into this yard since I moved here. I also put the leaves in my garden to help build up the soil. I have lots of worms in my soil which I know helps to create the perfect place to gets things growing. I know it’s early, but I am getting excited about the upcoming season.

Most gardeners know it takes the right amount of sunshine, water, and some good soil to make things grow well. So what conditions do we need for some good spiritual growth? Jesus taught us in the parable of the sower that the right soil conditions are critical for a good harvest. So what do we need if we really want to grow spiritually strong?

Someone pointed out to me recently that mountain-top experiences with God do not create good spiritual growth. I wanted to strongly object. When I experience God in a close, personal, and intimate way it spurs me on to growth. The person pointed out that mountain tops are covered in rocks. There isn’t the good soil required for growth.

Rich soil exists in the valleys. Our emotions enjoy the highs we experience on the mountain tops, but real growth occurs in the valleys. The valleys of life are filled with trials, difficulties, and challenges. Every step requires great effort. How can we experience growth when things are so hard?

Most gardeners know that adding cow manure to your soil will help things grow. So that means that we will grow better and stronger spiritually when we are faced with rough times. When we are walking through the manure of life our spirits grow stronger as our faith is stretched and we find ourselves leaning heavily on God.

When we are called upon to trust God, especially when we can’t see our next step, that’s when our faith will grow. When the doctor gives us news we don’t want to hear. When our finances turn into a big mess. When we open our paycheck and find a pink slip. When we watch our loved ones struggling with health issues. When the storms of life are howling. Those are the kinds of things that cause us to fall on our knees and cry out to God. It’s in those unbearable moments that our faith and trust in God is forced to grow.

When the strong winds are blowing and the waves seem higher than buildings, we cling to a God who will not let us go. Whether the miracle comes or not, we believe in a God who will not fail or reject us. We know that He is the rock on whom we stand. He will not falter, nor will He allow us to be overcome. Sometimes I think God has way too much faith in me, but then I realize that He is right there walking with me, and if necessary, carrying me through the storm. He promises never to leave us.

I sense that some of you are walking through the storms of life. I want to encourage you to press on, to hold on to God. God will not let you down. He is with you. He will never leave you. You will come out of this stronger, better, and victorious. And when you do, you will have another testimony to the goodness and greatness of our God. You will be stronger because your roots have grown deep in the soil of your faith. You are a fighter who never gives up. Let the storms rage, you WILL overcome.

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

Storm Watcher

            I am known around school for my weather forecasts. While I have always been fascinated by the weather, I am afraid that it has become an obsession. I look at the data, study the models, and apply what I know about how weather works in our area.

            Over time I have become pretty good at predicting what is coming. I also predict the number of days we will be out or if we are going to have a delay. The truth is that I miss the forecast just like the weathermen. Last week one of my colleagues left me a note on my classroom board that I was 100% wrong. I laughed.

            The focus of my weather fascination is with storms. I follow them all. If there is a mass of clouds lurking in the Atlantic, I am watching for tropical storm formation and predicted paths. If there is a strong cold front passing, I am watching the line of thunderstorms as they march my way. My greatest addiction is with snow. I am watching storms that are a week or two out there. I am looking at every piece of data I can find and am always on the lookout for another source of up-to-date information.

            The irony is that I often don’t know what is going on with the weather on a day-to-day basis unless there is a storm coming our way. Last Sunday when the sun broke out and we had a nice afternoon, I was unaware that we were expecting such a nice afternoon. Summer weather in the Carolinas: hazy, hot, humid, with scattered afternoon thunderstorms…what is exciting about that? It takes exciting weather to catch my attention.

            Nevertheless, there is always something down the road that will have my attention, and it is back to running the models and making my predictions. I will study the weather models and apply what I know from past experience to develop my predictions. If you want to become proficient at something you will have to study. You can’t expect to become good at doing something unless you spend time working at it.

            The same principles can be applied to our Christian walk. So many people want to find the easy way to following God. True followers know it is an all-or-nothing process. You can’t follow God halfheartedly unless you want to be miserable. With God it is an all-or-nothing adventure. Walking with God involves choosing the narrow path.

            The place to start is by reading His word. The Bible isn’t meant to be non-fiction that we read and just know the facts. As a matter of fact, the devil knows the Bible. He quoted it to Jesus when he tempted Him. So just knowing the Bible enough to quote it isn’t enough. Almost every pastor in my life has told me that I have to learn to apply the Bible to my situation.

            I want to apply the principles and promises to my life so I can achieve an overcoming Christian life. I have to apply what I know and believe if I want to experience a difference. This is the first step toward building a relationship with God.

            God wants us to know Him, which requires that we spend time with Him. This doesn’t mean that we just go to Him with our list of demands. While He wants to hear our prayer requests, He has a deeper desire to share Himself with us. He wants to reveal Himself through His word and through personal revelation to us. The only way for that to happen is when we spend time in His presence. Prayer is a two-way conversation with God.

            The secret to a deeper, richer, spiritual life is a combination of allowing God’s word to come alive in you and allowing your spirit to come alive in His presence. It’s true that God wants all of you so He can deposit more of Himself in you. He wants to work in you and through you. He wants you to live a full life through the good and the bad. He will give you the strength and He will show you the way.

            I want to encourage you to study and apply God’s word to your life. It will change you and make you more like Him. Draw close to God and He will draw close to you. He wants to reveal Himself to you, so open the doors of your heart. He will bring peace, joy, wisdom, direction, mercy and forgiveness. Who doesn’t need more of those things in their lives? He’s waiting on you…

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

Thank You

            Do you remember television’s Golden Girls? They were four women who, for various reasons, found themselves to be single. They lived together in sunny Florida and they were funny. They lived full and interesting lives. They pushed boundaries and challenged our thinking about growing old. We tuned in because we knew we were going to laugh.

            How four single women could live in one house always astounded me. Each of the characters went through various difficult things. Sometimes they faced personal crisis and other times they struggled with their relationships to each other. But no matter what they were dealing with or going through, by the end of the thirty minute episode they were hugging, and found a way to maintain their friendships in spite of their differences.

            The theme song to the show included the line, “Thank you for being a friend.” I imagine all of you who have ever seen the show can sing that little song right now…and you would do it with a smile on your face. That show had a way of making us laugh. Naturally, it was the highly talented writers, but those four women made it all believable. So we tuned in because we knew we were going to laugh and watch four women who maintained deep friendships.

            A true friend is someone who is there for you through the good times and the bad times. My parents taught me how to be a good friend. If you want a friend, you have to be a friend. A true friend listens and keeps, as one advertisement says, “a judgement free zone.” A true friend comes to celebrate good news and sits with you and sustains you when you are faced with hardship and news you can’t endure alone.

            We all expect pastors to be our friends. We expect them to be there at the birth of a child and to be there when a loved one departs. Somehow we hope they will have the right words as we struggle with grief and sorrow. We also have to remember that pastors walk through difficult times just like we do. They need us just like we need them.

            Recently, I have found myself walking through a difficult personal challenge. I have been put into a place where I have had to lean on my family and several very good friends. Let me be clear about this, I am not comfortable leaning so heavily on others. I found the situation humbling.

            You know what happened? My family and friends came and built spiritual walls around me. They stood for me and with me. They gave me the space and time to deal with things. They loved me and figuratively carried me when I needed them. They listened and understood. They carried on the silent battle of prayer for me.

            I learned so much about myself, my family, and my friends recently. It is amazing how close I have felt to the Lord through this time. I know it is because of all the prayer, but His presence has been tangible and sweet. He has whispered things to me that I might have missed at another time in my life. He has helped me understand that it is OK to lay my sword down and rest. I am not very good at that because I like to fight for others. I am always looking for ways to encourage and build others up. I had to learn that scripture that says, “be still and know that I am God.” He has and will continue to see me through it.

            I believe that God expects us to be valiant fighters and good friends. He wants us to do this for our Christian friends AND for those who are lost. Everyone needs someone to lean on at different times in our lives. Those that are lost need to see the hope in our eyes that will lead them to Christ. The saved need our love, support, and encouragement, when they find themselves fighting life’s battles.

            I want to encourage you to be a good friend. We all need each other as we walk through life. My sword still feels a little heavy, but it feels good to be getting back on my feet. It’s not easy to let others fight for me, but it sure has made me thankful. I am thankful for the love, the support, the listening ears, the laughter, and the prayers. I think the Golden Girls song had it right; I want to thank you for being a friend.

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

What is Normal?

            Have you ever found yourself going through something and wondering what “normal” is supposed to feel like? Well, “normal” is…but now it’s not normal anymore. Maybe your routine got turned upside down by something like a big snowstorm, or an unplanned trip to the hospital. When things are not normal or your normal has somehow changed, how do you find your way back to normal?

            Let’s take Valentine’s Day, which is coming up soon. We normally do…and you can easily fill in that blank. Then something happens and you have to do something different. Maybe you find that exciting and it makes life fun. But maybe normal has somehow changed for you and you aren’t quite sure what to do about it.

            My pastor has been talking to our congregation about expecting an uncommon year. and maybe he is implying an uncommon life. I have found myself pondering his messages in some deep and personal ways. I have had an uncommon and very un-normal beginning of this year. As I look down the road, I believe that my normal routines in life are about to change. I am thinking about retiring from teaching, so the things that I have done for over 34 years will change.

            I am beginning to wonder what normal will look like next fall. The routines that I have lived my life by are going to change. I was thinking about a friend of mine whose home was damaged in Hurricane Florence; she is living an uncommon life and wishing she could find normal again. I know a few people who lost loved ones recently. They will never have normal the way it used to be.

            I was thinking about Jesus who grew up as the carpenter’s son. For thirty years he lived a normal life, apprenticing under his father Joseph. He got up and worked hard with his hands to build and create whatever the customer needed. I have to imagine that Jesus was a good carpenter, that he made some beautiful things for people. Then one day he gets baptized and goes to a wedding. Everything changed. He never knew a normal day again. He lived uncommonly from that day until his last.

            There are so many people in the Bible who lived normal everyday lives. Then they had an encounter with God and life as they knew it changed. Abraham and Sarah became parents when they should have been great grandparents. David, a shepherd boy, kills Goliath and later becomes king. Daniel does what is right and seeks God for wisdom. Because he prayed he was thrown into the lion’s den, but God did something uncommon and kept those hungry lions away.

            The list of people who have lived uncommon or un-normal lives goes way beyond the Bible. So it is not beyond belief that God could help us live lives that go beyond normal to a level that most would say is uncommon. We know we can’t do it alone. No one in the Bible lived uncommon lives without faith in God. They depended and leaned on God. They couldn’t see tomorrow so they focused on God.

            Normally, it takes me a little longer than a year to read through the Bible reading a chapter every day. My normal routine has changed. I am reading the same book of the Bible over and over again, studying different translations. I am amazed by all that I am discovering as I approach my scripture reading in an uncommon way.

            I have moved myself to the front row at church for the worship and singing portion of the service. I am hungry for more of God and want to experience His presence in a new and uncommon way. I do slip back to my “normal” seat for the message. If I want a new and deeper adventure with God, I am going to have to do somethings differently. Since life gave me a nudge out of the normal routines, why not discover some other uncommon things about God, my loving Heavenly Father?

            A little over a month into the New Year I have decided that I don’t want a normal year with God and I want to encourage you to desire an uncommon year with God. I am not sure where the year will go, but I have put my hand in God’s and I am ready (I think) for a new adventure with Him. God promises that if we draw closer to Him, He will draw closer to us. Closer to God has got to be a good thing. Who wants normal? I want God!

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

I am not a good reader. I rarely accept recommendations for new books because I read so slowly. That is not to say that I don’t want to hear about your favorite book, I might want to give that author a try. I have a few favorite authors and have some books I would highly recommend. I love a good fictional story, especially one that is fast-paced and has a few twists.

My reading stays mainly in the Christian fiction, although I have strayed a few times with especially good authors or stories. I have also taken to listening to books while traveling. My wife has gotten me to listen to some authors I may never have considered, but whose stories I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have even listened to several popular fiction writers while driving back and forth to work. If the story is really engaging, I have stayed in the car listening long after I arrive home.

While I prefer fiction, I will read non-fiction. One friend encouraged me to read a gripping book about people who survived unimaginable situations. Naturally, I have read some devotional books through the years. There are a few popular non-fiction authors whose books I have enjoyed.

I am always on the lookout for a new book. I always try to find three or four books to read when school lets out. I normally can’t wait to dive into a good book once the kids have gone home for summer. We recently visited Barnes & Noble, where I thoroughly enjoy walking the aisles looking for something good to read. There was a book in the discount section that grabbed my attention. I picked it up several times because of its catchy title, “God Winks.”

I left the store without the book but couldn’t get the title out of my head. The next day I was looking around Amazon and found the book again. I read a little bit about it, but just couldn’t resist the title. I decided this might make some good lunchtime reading, and I was right. The book contains short stories about people who are going through rough moments, who receive a sign from heaven that God is with them. Some may want to write these moments off as coincidence, but the author strongly disagrees.

The author contends that God is watching over us, and when we are in a very difficult moment or struggling with a loss in our life, God will send us a reassurance from heaven that we are not alone. The stories are short, fun, and enjoyable, making for great lunchtime reading. I believe that God is actively involved in our lives, and have received many winks from heaven to let me know that He is right here beside me.

I have also had the high privilege and honor of being the one to give others an encouraging word from heaven. I believe God whispers a name in our spirit so we can pray for those who are struggling. I also believe He will encourage us to call or write a note to someone who is in the heat of the battle and needing to know they are not alone. A simple word from heaven can lift our burdens and give us the courage to carry on.

Life is not easy. Each of us has a story filled with difficult moments, ones that might cause us to want to give up. That’s when that encouraging word is critical to our survival. God knows how to stir people up to pray, call, or just happen by at just the right moment. We all need to know we are not alone, because the devil is working overtime trying to convince us we are.

I believe God wants to use you to encourage others. There is someone you know who needs you. They are struggling and God is putting them on your heart. He wants to use you to give them hope. Hope is one of God’s most powerful weapons, that can help us overcome insurmountable odds. Faith, hope, and love can sustain a weary spirit through the most difficult times.

I want to encourage you to take action on being an encourager for God. If you are willing, God will open doors that you never imagined. You might be surprised who might need that little boost from you today. The simple acknowledgement that you are standing with someone may be all they need to get back up and fight. We all fight seemingly overwhelming battles; you might be just the one to help someone be the overcomer they were meant to be.

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

Has it only been a week since I last wrote a column? It seems like more than a month. It has been a crazy week. We were back to school today after being off for a few days because of the hurricane. I asked my students, “How many of you lost power?” It was about a third that lost power for at least a few hours, with one student who had not received power back before she came to school.

We lost power on Thursday afternoon. When darkness settled in on Thursday evening it became apparent that the power would not be returning. We had lanterns and flashlights and we cooked supper using the gas grill. We were pioneering it.

When Thursday turned into Friday and the prospect of power seemed out of reach, pioneering began to lose its appeal. I cleaned out the refrigerator on Friday before the trash men came. We were still hopeful that power would be restored before the freezer thawed. That did not happen, so we cleaned the freezer out on Saturday. Pioneering had completely lost its appeal.

Throughout this process we remained thankful that our home had not been affected and that the weather was nice and comfortable. We were thankful for each other and we were thankful for our many blessings. On both Thursday and Friday night I went outside and could not believe how many beautiful stars I could see.

I have great neighbors. We were all checking on each other. While we had some trees down in our neighborhood, thankfully, none of my neighbors had any storm damage other than struggling through the loss of power. We are thankful for each other. We were happy when the power came back on Saturday evening.

We cleaned up all the pioneering stuff, started some laundry, and rejoiced again each time we flipped a switch and the lights worked. With the power back on, it was time to start getting things back to normal. The refrigerator looks nice, clean, and spacious.

Once the power was on and the cleanup was well underway, I slowed down and took a few minutes to catch up with the internet. Looking at things on your phone is just not the same as the computer screen. I watched several videos about the destruction left behind by Hurricane Michael. My heart broke for so many people who are suffering from the powerful destruction left behind by the storm. The storm affected people from Florida to Virginia.

When I finished watching the videos, I asked God to comfort those who were suffering. I asked Him to activate His church to reach out to those who need help. I asked God to let His love flow through His people and to bring healing.

I thought about the news reports where people kept saying that they were praying to God for help. They were thankful to be alive and for His protection through the storm. They were thankful to be safely on the other side.

When the storms of life are wailing it’s hard to be thankful. When our health is failing, finances are drying up, the enemy has stolen from us, we have been wronged, and when doubt, fear, and discouragement have camped out in our minds, it can be difficult to thank God. Where is the justice? Where is the reward for serving God? We must quiet our minds and turn our hearts toward our Daddy in heaven. We must thank Him for never leaving us. We must thank Him for the courage and strength to face our circumstances. We must thank and praise Him for all that is good and right in our lives. I know it is hard, but we serve a good and loving Heavenly Father who WILL come through for us.

I know many friends who are facing overwhelming circumstances. I know God will help them. If you find yourself in the storm, then I want to encourage you to take your eyes off your situation and look to your loving Heavenly Father. Focus on Him. Then start to thank Him for all the good things in your life. Praise Him for who He is. If you can, worship Him. You will discover what you may have temporarily forgotten, that He is closer than you thought. He is with you. He will see you through the storm that you are facing. I am praying for you right now, trusting and believing that God will reveal Himself to you, and that He will help you find His peace in the midst of your storm.

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

I drove home from work today thinking about my column. That is something I do every Monday, as that is when I write my column. I reflect back on my week and look for times and places where I saw God interacting with me. I believe God is actively involved in our everyday lives. I think that many miss God’s hand because they aren’t looking.

No particular topic was tumbling around in my brain. Part of the reason for that is simple; I was obsessing about the hurricane in the Gulf. I know that is in the past tense for you, but from here it is future tense. I often think about that dilemma when I sit down to write. My future is sometimes your past.

Anyway, for those of you who don’t know, I am a weather fanatic. I have been watching trends over the last couple of days, changing the possible tropical storm into a major hurricane. Last week the models were showing a weak, stalled-out storm soaking the Gulf Coast region. My awareness and obsession have exploded as I realize that the storm will be much stronger and faster than previously thought. I am also not prepared for what might come our way.

I recently wrote about being prepared; can’t do that again. I wrote about getting poison ivy last week, which is dramatically improved. I wrote about the battle with seasonal allergies. Those are doing much better too. What do I write about?

I have been thinking hard about retirement…when I am not thinking about the weather. Since I have been entertaining that thought more frequently, I find myself lying awake at night working through the math. My Dad gave me a mind to work the numbers. I have talked to many friends about this very important decision. It looks good and it is beginning to feel right…but…

All these random thoughts reveal a personal struggle; sometimes I struggle with worry. There are some people I know who are professional worriers…not warriors, but worriers. I don’t even come close to their gift for worry. I worry about the future. Lately, I have been trying to lay the worry down and work on my faith and trust in God. He has never let me down in the past, why would He fail me now?

There is nothing really wrong with having an obsession with the weather as long I don’t worry. My faith and trust have to be in a great big God who will take good care of me. I talked to a friend who came through Florence down near the coast. As she told me about the damage to her beautiful home, my heart broke. Then she told me about all the miraculous ways God took care of her and her family…in spite of the damage.

So, retirement, storms, and most important…worry, has to come and bow at the feet of Jesus. No matter what comes our way, God is going to see us through. Friends, family, church members, and maybe even some angels are going to be dispatched to help us in our hour of need. No matter what the enemy of my soul throws at me to discourage me, to create doubt in my mind, to cause me to worry…I can’t let it win. I have to fight, believe, and trust.

I know that many of you are going through some terribly difficult times. Some of you are in my daily prayers. You are struggling with employment issues, trying to get your house repaired, battling health issues, dealing with loss, fighting discouragement and depression, worrying about your family members, and…you fill in the blank. I have news for you. I believe God is walking with you. I believe God is working behind the scenes to help you. I believe there is hope for you even if things look really dark right now. I believe God is greater and bigger than any and all of those situations.

I want to encourage you to pray with me, “God, we give all these things into your mighty hands. We don’t know how you are going to fix or help us, but we believe that You will.” When we pray and think like that, worry has to go. Fear has to die. Doubt gets kicked out. In these fields of our minds we can now plant seeds of hope, love, mercy, grace, and peace. I want to get the worry out of my mind and let these new seeds have a chance to grow. Good luck with your seeds, too. I hope they grow and produce good things in your life.

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

I believe we are off to a good school year. On the first day of school, I got dressed and went outside and took a selfie standing on my front steps. I sent the picture to my mother with the caption, “Could it be my last first day of school?” Even though I feel positive and excited about starting another school year, I am wondering if this will be my last. Some of my colleagues have been teasing me about when and if I will ever retire. I tell them only the Man upstairs knows.

There is a strong sense of optimism running through the school. For a seasoned vet like myself, I know we are in the honeymoon stage. Everyone is on their best behavior right now. I would like this to last for a while, but we all know that challenges will face us. That’s when we will find out if it is just a feeling or truly a new beginning to a great year.

One of the ways that I am refreshed each summer is by my annual trip up the mountain to Sparta to see some great friends. I made the trip the week before school started to give myself that final booster shot. I had a hard time sleeping the night before my trip up because I was so excited to be with my good friends.

We were expecting a high in the nineties here, but as I drove through Sparta the thermometer read the low seventies. I rolled my windows down and enjoyed the refreshing, cooler air. The views as I drove up the mountain and through town continue to take my breath away. The familiar sights were welcome to my spirit.

When I arrived at their house I was greeted by their black lab, Daisy. She was barking up a storm and keeping me away from their house. I honked the horn several times as there was no cell signal. Finally, my friend came out and chided me, “Come on, Doug, Daisy won’t bother you. Just put your hand out for her to sniff.” He was right, she let me pass. Daisy is an interesting dog. She won’t let anyone pet her except my friends, her mother, and me. Once Daisy got a few good sniffs, she was glued to me and wanting to be petted.

I arrived just before lunch and stayed until after supper. We spent the day talking and sharing our lives. We have a very open and honest relationship with each other. My friend’s wife has told me many times that I know some things about her husband that she doesn’t. We have been the best of friends for more than twenty years. Over the years we have shared our struggles and talked through problems.

This year our two biggest topics were health issues and me trying to decide when to pull the trigger and finally retire. The latter is a tough issue for me because I love being a teacher. It’s hard to decide to walk away from something I love. I have been assured by many teacher friends who have blazed that trail already that I will know when the time is right.

On the health front, we talked about the many health issues we are facing. We aren’t getting any younger and as my great-aunt used to tell me, “Old age does not come alone.” We aren’t old, but age is sneaking in and giving each of us health issues. It’s nice to have someone safe to talk with about such private issues and to realize that we are not alone as we struggle with them.

As I hugged my friends good-bye and got in the car to leave, I had to wipe a tear away as I love to be there and hate to leave. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw the two of them standing on the porch. They snuggled and kissed, which made me smile. They remain close as ever in spite of the ups and downs in their lives. Their love burns strong, which is one of the reasons why I like to be there.

I want to encourage you to treasure your friends. Work to maintain the fire of that friendship. Life is full of good days and bad days; good friends will stand with you no matter what kind of day you are facing. You know that faith and prayer are the cornerstones of my life, but sometimes the love, hugs, listening ears, and understanding of good friends can be a source of strength to make it through life’s trials.

Doug Creamer’s books are at Amazon. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

I know I must have written about this topic at some point, but it seems to be stirring in my spirit again. I have been thinking about the power of words. I have recently had the privilege of spending some quality time with some good friends and family. The conversations have been deep, rich, and encouraging.

What has struck me the most is that we all have stories, ups and downs in our lives. We all carry scars from the lessons that life has taught us. While some lessons are easy to learn, others require us to acquire some new bruises. I am not sure why we are so determined to learn things the hard way when we could learn from each other.

Another thing I noticed is that age doesn’t exempt us from new lessons. Some we learn and move on, while others require deep inner struggle. When I was young, I thought that by a certain age we would master the lessons and live peacefully. It seems that God has a different plan. We learn a lesson, enjoy a brief sigh, and it’s on to the next lesson.

I think we all have much to learn about our careless use of words. We fail to understand the power of our words. As a teacher, I see students who rarely (if ever) hear the words: “I love you” or “I am proud of you.” These are simple yet profound words that we all desire to hear. As a teacher, I feel it is inappropriate to tell my students I love them, but I have made it a priority to let them know I am proud of them. I have watched the powerful impact of those words as I look directly into my students’ eyes.

I believe we have to watch our words when we talk about our aches and pains. We think they will last forever so we say, “I will never get over this.” These words are powerful because they leave no room for God to heal and restore. When we believe that we will not get better, it becomes like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Let me share a personal example. I always have trouble with my sinuses in the fall and the spring. I will usually be in bed for several days. In saying this, I leave no room for God to protect or to even heal me. I own it. My grandmother had some very serious surgeries in her lifetime and she would always say, “I will be home in a few days and I will get over it.” Do you know what happened each time? She recovered quickly and was home.

We have to learn to watch our words. I am not suggesting when you have the full-blown flu that you come to church and tell everyone you are healed. But you can rest in bed and believe that you will recover quicker than most people because you serve a God who heals. Give God room to work in your life. Believe that He can heal you.

We have to learn to watch our words as we speak to and about each other. We have to remember what is said when a person is not present is heard by our Father in Heaven. That should make us all stop and think. The words we say to each other have profound and long-lasting effects. As a society, we are quick to tear each other down and we fail to build each other up. We should be using our words to encourage and strengthen each other as we endeavor to live out our Christian faith.

With the power of the tongue we can create or we can destroy. Our Father always speaks words of love and hope to us. We can choose to be like Him and build each other up, or be used by the enemy to discourage. Our words can change the destiny of others for good or bad. I want to believe the best for others and my words to be filled with love and hope.

I want to encourage you to choose your words carefully. Are your words filled with venom intending to kill and destroy, or are your words filled with life and peace? You have the power to choose. God is listening. I want to surround myself with people who believe in me and will speak words of life to me. I hope people see me as that kind of person: a builder, a supplier of hope, a person of faith, and one whose words bring life.

Doug Creamer’s books are at Amazon. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

After coming back from a refreshing time at the beach, we had many things that needed our attention around the house. We have worked our way through the laundry pile and tried to catch up on the watering. Even getting back to some of the routines of life hasn’t tarnished too greatly the sense of refreshment I had when I left the beach.

Where are all the summer scattered showers and thunderstorms? I don’t think we have had a shower in over two weeks here. The last band of showers that pushed through didn’t give us a drop. We did get quite a bit of wind, which gave us a pleasant gift from heaven.

I don’t ever recall having several cool days in July. The air was humidity-free, the temperatures were delightful, and the northerly breeze was refreshing. I worked in the yard all day on Saturday, which my muscles reminded me about on Sunday. Even Sunday was a great day. I read in the shade of the trees for a while and even did a little more yardwork.

I sat outside late in the evening and early in the morning. I ate my lunches outside. I just couldn’t get enough of that cool, refreshing air. I am not naïve; I know that summer’s heat has returned to stay, but those couple of days were awesome. I was enjoying the cool air so much that I didn’t mind weeding…I didn’t say I liked it, just didn’t mind it.

I recently wrote about being refreshed at the beach. I think we all find a sense of refreshment when we are away from the routines of life. When we can rest, do enjoyable things, eat delicious food, and connect with those we love, refreshment has a way of washing over us. But I believe there are other ways to be refreshed.

I know that many churches hold revival services. This is when we bring in a guest speaker who brings words of encouragement and challenge to stir us deeply in our spirits. Spending several evenings in church listening to the word of God being taught will almost always revive the spirit. The word of God is like living water flowing in and through us which undoubtedly will renew us from the inside out.

The Bible teaches us that repentance can also bring renewal and revival. I am not sure whether repentance breeds revival or revival brings repentance, but all I know is the end result is a refreshed spirit. I have been praying for revival for our land for longer than I can remember. I know that when people repent from their sinful ways, God washes over the people taking away the blight of sin and the pain of guilt, which in every case will refresh the soul.

Some may think that they really don’t need to repent, but God’s word teaches us that none of us is free of sin. There are many good people out in the world that I have had the pleasure of knowing, but they still sin. We need the redemptive power of Jesus’ blood to turn us from sinners into the sons and daughters of God. There is nothing more refreshing than seeing a sinner become born again. When we are born again we are fresh, clean, and redeemed. Jesus paid a high price so we could be refreshed and set free.

Whatever trial you are facing, whatever trouble you are in, I know someone who has all the answers. He is humble and gentle and cares more about your situation than you do. He is filled with forgiveness, hope, and the strength you need to overcome every obstacle and set you free. He loves you more than you can imagine. He will never turn His back on you, never give up on you. He knows the pains of your past and wants to bring healing and peace. All you need to do is turn around and call out His name because if you do…He will come running to you.

I want to encourage you to turn around and call out to the savior Jesus who stands ready to receive your broken life because He can make it brand new. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, Jesus accepts all. Think of the criminal on the cross, he had nothing to offer but an eternity with Jesus to receive. The free gift of God which includes unbelievable love, complete forgiveness for your past, a peace that goes beyond understanding, and times of deep refreshing are waiting for you. I encourage you to ask the living God, He will not disappoint you.

Doug Creamer’s books are at Amazon. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com