Doug’s Columns

By Doug Creamer

            At the beginning of the year, my pastor did a series of sermons on taking steps. At the end of the series he gave us each a keychain with a foot on it. It’s on my key chain to remind me that this year God wants me to take steps of faith. So, naturally I asked God, “What steps of faith do you want me to take this year?”

            I had an idea for a major step of faith concerning my EncouragingU website. Thankfully I discussed it with a former pastor who has a strong business background. He reminded me that the Bible says to count the cost before building. The wisdom we need about life is often available if we are willing to listen and obey.

            Just because the major step I was going to take wasn’t the right one for the moment didn’t mean that there weren’t any steps to take. I have been taking smaller steps to move the website along. I was ready to take a leap and God just wanted me to take steps.

            God started stirring in my spirit that He wanted me to take some other steps. I have to be honest, I struggled to obey. Ironically, I was willing to take a leap of faith, but a little less willing to take the steps that He was setting before me.

            I have been making videos on YouTube sporadically. I felt like God wanted me to do them regularly. Many of my videos have been done outside, about gardening. It’s winter and I couldn’t think of any topics that would be interesting for regular videos.

            I was lying in bed late one night praying and talking with the Lord when I felt His Spirit encouraging me to do the videos again. I asked Him what He wanted me to do in the videos. Isn’t it amazing that we can wonder about something and feel no direction simply because we haven’t asked? As soon as the question was off my tongue, an idea dropped into my head.

            Many years ago a traveling minister and artist would come to our church. He challenged the congregation many times with a simple idea. He said that if anyone read a proverb a day and wrote a reflection on some verses from that proverb each day for the 31 days, he would give them a print of one of his paintings.

            As I lay in bed thinking about this challenge, God suggested that I read and meditate on a proverb a week and do a short video on my reflections. While the idea was clear and the execution very plausible, I resisted His idea. This was going to be different than what I had been doing and what would people think? Probably more importantly, would anybody care or watch?

            When God asks us to do something, He isn’t seeking our opinion or permission. He wants us to take steps of obedience. I admit I wrestled with God for a few weeks. I wanted to be obedient, but the idea felt…well, crazy. Who would want to hear what I thought about a few verses from the proverbs every week?

            I decided that obedience trumped my feelings. What I have discovered over the last few weeks is that it is more about me seeking God’s face and meditating on His word than it is about me doing the videos. God wants to talk to me about me and my life through the proverbs. God wants me to spend more time meditating on His word. A by-product of me reading and meditating on His word would be the videos.

            It is difficult to understand the Lord and His ways. Sometimes we get the best understanding when we look in the rearview mirror. It’s interesting when I reflect on my prayers recently; I keep telling God that I want to draw closer to Him. What does He tell me to do? Read and meditate His word. What has the result been so far? I have a renewed mind and my heart is stirred even more to want to get even closer.

            I want to encourage you to ask God what steps He wants you to take this year. How can God grow and stretch your faith? What steps will you take this year to draw closer to God? If you want to join me on my journey, then look for my videos on YouTube. We serve an awesome God who works behind the scenes to draw us closer to Him and to make us more like Christ.

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

By Doug Creamer

By Doug Creamer

            Last week was a busy one. It wasn’t overly busy; it was the “just right” kind of busy. I have a crazy schedule where I get up before dawn and teach online courses to children in China. I love my little job and I especially love the kids. This early morning interruption of my sleep often causes me to take a nap later in the day. My cat loves to curl up with me when I lay down.

            Last Friday, Valentine’s Day, we decided to order food out and to avoid all the lines. We did some domestic engineering so we could have nice romantic evening at home. We watched a romantic comedy and had a great evening. At the end of the day I felt like I had worked in the yard all day.

            Saturday found me resting and laying low all day. I had a few other symptoms and told my wife that I would probably go to the doctor on Monday. I rarely go to the doctor.  I sent a few emails asking for prayer. Something was up.

            On Sunday, I woke up feeling worse. I considered staying home from church, but it was my week with the children and I wanted to be there for them. I also wanted to go ask for prayer. While I believe in modern medical science, I always like to check with my Heavenly Father first.

            After the music part of the service, the pastor asked anyone who needed prayer to raise their hand. I raised both my hands. The congregation gathered around those of us who raised our hands. The pastor prayed for us, while those standing around us also prayed. The presence of the Lord was sweet.

            The first thing I noticed when the prayer was over was the feeling of fatigue was gone. I still had some pain, but it was less. By evening, I thought that even the pain would be gone by Monday morning. That wasn’t the case, but I felt better and decided to wait on seeing the doctor. I am hoping and believing that everything will be better.

            Why did God stop and notice me on Sunday? Did all the others who asked for prayer receive what they asked for, too? I know that we are all special in God’s sight. We are, after all, His children.

            I have known some people who were in stage 3 and 4 cancer who were completely healed, and others who went home to be with the Lord. The question we all want to know is why? We don’t always get to understand everything on this side of heaven.

            I will share with you some personal insights. When Jesus died on the cross between two criminals, only one got into heaven – the one who asked. I think we often forget to ask God for His healing touch. Maybe we falsely believe that God is too busy. He’s never too busy for His children. We also need to combine faith when we ask, believing that God can and will heal us.

            Sometimes God heals, and sometimes God chooses to walk with us through the medical procedures. I don’t know or understand why. I do know that I have many friends who have gone through incredible medical nightmares and discovered that their faith grew in leaps and bounds. They have a testimony they share every chance they get, and God gets the glory. I know firsthand that when you walk through the storms of life, God walks incredibly close to you. AND He will see you through.

            I know that our God is faithful and He will NEVER leave or forsake us. It may feel dark and you may feel alone, but I promise you that God hears your cries and He will answer your call. God never promised an easy path in life, but He did promise to be with us. Don’t give up. There are so many promises in the Bible for you. Spend time searching and finding them. Write them out and keep them in front of your eyes. God’s promises will never fail.

            I want to encourage you, yes you, to ask God, to fan the flames of your faith, and to trust your Heavenly Father who loves you more than any human being ever could. It’s scary to ask for a touch from the Master’s hand, because He may not bring an instant healing. But I believe that God can guide the doctor’s hands, give the doctor wisdom, and I KNOW He will walk with you as you go through this terrible storm. I am praying for you, believing with you, that you will soon have a testimony to share.

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

By Doug Creamer

By Doug Creamer

            I went to my mailbox a few weeks ago to collect the routine deposits. There were bills and some junk mail. One letter that looked like junk mail required a closer inspection. The letter had a return address label with the Eagle Scout emblem on it. I looked at the name and saw that it was a former student’s last name. I stopped in my tracks and opened the letter right there.

            The letter was from a former student’s parents. They were inviting me to their son’s Eagle Court of Honor. It was an honor to be invited and I immediately made plans to attend. I recently learned that only four percent of boys who join scouting will become Eagle scouts.

            A couple of days before the ceremony, I began digging around to find my gear from scouting days. I still have my uniform with the Eagle patch on my shirt. I was a member of Troop 66 in Virginia Beach, which was a large and active troop.

            I found my sash with the merit badges attached. Then there was my skill awards belt. There were several neckerchiefs and a couple of hats. Then there were a pile of patches from various places. I always got a patch for summer camp, a week hiking camp called the High Knoll Trail, and various jamboree patches.

            When I was digging through all this stuff the memories of my time in the Boy Scouts flooded my mind. I think the camping trips and the summer camps were the best times of my young life. I remember many nights around a campfire, telling stories and participating in skits.

            I remember the many leaders who gave of their time and energy to help me grow up and become a responsible citizen. They invested themselves and they left their imprints on my life. I am the man I am today because of the men who believed in me and invested in me as a Boy Scout. I earned my Eagle Scout and I am thankful to all the people who encouraged me along the way.

            I went to Grace Lutheran Church in Thomasville on Sunday to see Ethan Moore (my former student) and JD Lawson receive their Eagle Scout awards. I am so proud of these two young men and their great accomplishments. It was great to see them surrounded by their scouting family and the church family as they received this high honor.

            I talked with Ethan before and after the ceremony. We looked at each other’s sashes which had our merit badges on them. We swapped a few summer camp stories. He went to the Boy Scout camp in Virginia right across the lake from the one I went to when I was in scouting. Then he told me about his Eagle project: building an outdoor chapel.

            I congratulated his parents and headed out. Before leaving, I walked down to the outdoor chapel that Ethan had made and sat quietly for a few moments, awash in memories again of my own scouting days. I led Sunday morning devotions on numerous scouting trips. Wonderful memories flood my mind even now as I write this column.

One of the biggest lessons that scouting teaches a person is that you can’t do it alone. Teamwork, reliability, and dependability are strong values taught to every scout. These same qualities are critical to our spiritual walks. No one was meant to walk out their faith alone. We need leaders and mentors who will advise and encourage us as we walk along the path of life. Boy Scouts break troops into patrols: small groups. Churches offer the same thing through Sunday school classes and home groups where you can participate, contribute, and connect.

            Scouting teaches boys to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, clean, and reverent. Doesn’t that sound like a good church member? These character qualities help to prepare us to welcome the lost or those who are searching and help them connect to a life-changing God. It’s not just the pastors; it’s the greeters, ushers, choir members, Sunday school teachers, elders, and every member who can make a difference.

            In the Great Commission Jesus calls each of us to take the message of His love to the world. I want to encourage you to be prepared to do your part in your church, your community, your place of work, your school, and in your sphere of influence. We need each other in the church to complete our spiritual journey. The world needs us as the church to be the light that will lead them to a personal relationship with our loving Heavenly Father.

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

By Doug Creamer

By Doug Creamer

            I imagine you watched the Super Bowl on Sunday. I watch the Super Bowl every year. Maybe I should say it this way; I watch the commercials during the Super Bowl. Even though I won’t be discussing them with my students this year, I still watched them. It’s interesting to see how we market products and how that has changed over the years.

            I also enjoy the pregame pageantry. Every year they produce a video showing the beauty of our country and salute our men and women in the military. I like the singing of “America the Beautiful” and the National Anthem. I usually enjoy the half-time show. I just noticed by what I wrote that it seems that I enjoy all the things that surround the big game.

            Well, let’s be honest, often the Super Bowl ends up being a blowout. Many times by the end of the third quarter I have muted the game and am off doing other things. I always keep checking back and want to see the final score.

            This year was a different story. At half-time the score was tied and the game had my interest. The game remained close until the end. It was probably one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent memory. Whether you liked the outcome depends on whether your team won. Either way, it was still a good, close game.

            I remember noticing that the score was 20 to 10 and there were about nine minutes left in the game. I told my wife that anything can happen and that either team could still win the game. My wife said that nine minutes in a Super Bowl could last an hour. I laughed, and it almost did last an hour. Well, unless you are living under a rock…and yes, I saw that Super Bowl ad… you know how the game turned out.

            It makes me think about something very important…no matter what our circumstances look like, we can never give up. Things can always turn around. I am realistic enough to know that sometimes they don’t turn around, BUT, I have seen things that looked impossible actually happen. I have seen it in the sports arena and I have seen it in life.

            I know people who have received devastating medical news and then seen God move in miraculous ways and change everything around. Some of the circumstances were uphill battles, but in the end, God won. I believe God uses modern medical procedures, guiding the doctor’s hands, to bring about His victory. But I have to admit, I still like seeing the miracles.

            I know some people who have reached the end of their rope in their marriages. They were ready to sign the dotted line and end it. But God stepped in and did a miracle. The enemy thought he had won, but God got the victory.

            I have read stories of people who were past broke and couldn’t imagine hope. But God used people to give them a chance. Some may claim they got some lucky breaks, but I believe they worked hard and God’s favor rested upon them. Their story again reveals that my God is going to win the victory.

            I firmly believe that God is a master at taking broken and messed up lives and turning them around. The enemy thinks he has won when people get hooked on drugs, legal or illegal. I know too many stories of people who have been set free from that trap. They may still be tempted, but God is going to help them keep their victory.

            I think we falsely believe that if we lose a skirmish that we have lost the battle. Everyone who fights loses some of the skirmishes along the way. We all get knocked down. We all fail. We all sin. The battle is the Lord’s. We have to get up and start fighting again. We also have to know who is on our side. God does not know defeat, He only knows victory. With Him on your side, you WILL overcome. You will defeat your enemy. You will have the victory.

            I want to encourage those who are fighting and feel like you are losing, KEEP FIGHTING, for the battle is the Lord’s. Get up! You can overcome, even though you have heard the whispers in your ear that you won’t. God is going to help you. You may get the miracle, or you may be called to fight the good fight of the faith. Keep fighting. Keep praying. Don’t lose hope. Keep believing. I believe you are going to see a victory.

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

By Doug Creamer

            About once a month a group of retired teachers gathers in Stanly County for lunch. I taught at North Stanly and South Stanly for about eight years of my career. Somehow when this group meets, I get an invite to join them. Retirement has some benefits.

            When I taught in Stanly County I was young and energetic, but I was green. I had one bit of wisdom in my youth: find those who are excellent in their field and hang around them. Learn and glean everything you can from them. I did that. I found the best teachers, the ones with the best reputations, and spent time with them.

            One of the most important things I learned early in life was to always do my best on the job. It doesn’t matter if the boss is watching, do your best. Later in my career, I had a principal tell me that she didn’t need to formally observe me to know if I was doing my job. She said that all she had to do is walk past my door and she always saw me engaging with my students.

            The retired teachers met for lunch last week. Two things struck me about the conversation around that table. The first was when the thought circulated that they felt they could not teach and engage students today. I looked at them and said, “No, you would still be great. Students today still need the same things you gave them when you were in the classroom. They want to be noticed. They need to be loved. They want to be encouraged to pursue their dreams. They want to be challenged to raise the bar. They want people who believe in them and have hope for their future.”

            I agreed that today’s students have many more distractions. I agreed that the educational system seems overly focused on testing. I agreed that the individual freedoms that teachers once had have evaporated. But I still believed that these great teachers could still have an impact on the next generation.

            The other thing that impacted me as I listened to them talk was how powerfully teachers had impacted their lives. They were discussing various Catawba College professors. They remembered details about their college teachers that impacted and changed their lives. They remembered specific assignments they completed. They remembered certain tests and even specific questions from those tests.

            As I sat and listened I began to wonder how many of our students have the same memories about us. Do our students remember tests or certain activities we did in class? Did the things I said or did have lasting impacts on my students? Do students reflect on what we did in my room like these teachers were remembering their college professors?

            I have run into former students through the years, and they always have stories about things that happened in my room. Most of the memories are of something funny. They all remember the Golden Rule of Business: Treat every customer the way you would want to be treated if you were the customer. It was the last question on every test.

            I hope I impacted my students with the most important thing of all, God’s love. I know that I am an imperfect person, but I hope that in spite of that, God’s love showed through my life. What we become in life is nowhere near as important as who we become. I wanted to help my students develop high moral standards, learning how to choose right from wrong, seeing the impact of doing good deeds, and how a kind and encouraging word can change someone’s day.

            THE most important thing in life is having faith in God. We will all stand before His throne and have to answer for our lives. The key question will be: Did you ask Jesus to be your Savior? If the answer is no, all the good things you have done in your life will not change your destination. We also have to live for Jesus. Is your life a reflection of His love?

            I want to encourage you to make the most important decision in your life today. Ask Jesus to be your Savior. No one knows if today will bring a tragic ending to your life. Don’t put this critical decision off. You may not get a moment right before you pass to ask Him into your life. Ask now and live for Him every day. Who knows what kind of legacy you can leave behind if you make the choice to follow Jesus? 

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

By Doug Creamer

            For many years on Saturday night we would listen to Garrison Keillor on the radio. He had a program called “The Prairie Home Companion.” It was a two-hour variety show that we enjoyed. My favorite part was when he told a story about a fictional town out on the prairie.

He always began the story with, “It’s been a quiet week…” Then he would launch into all the happenings in this fictional town. There was always humor and something going on down at the church, or maybe the little cafe. The story was always clean, filled with faith, and funny.  

I guess I was thinking about this because as I reflected back on my week, it feels like it has been a quiet week. What I mean is that there haven’t been any major events. That’s good. Some folks I know are dealing with big things. I know friends who have lost loved ones and others who are fighting cancer. I know some who are fighting the awful bug that is going around and others who are at the hospital.

            I’ll take my quiet week. Don’t get me wrong, I have been busy. I’ve been working on my websites, working on developing a class that I hope to be able to teach, and teaching my Chinese children on the internet. Sometimes, while it feels quiet, it seems busy.

            I had to get my old vehicle running again; it was time for the inspection. I tried jumping it, but the battery was too far gone. I got a new one and she cranked right up. I drove it around for a while the other day; she is purring like a kitten again.

            There were a few highlights in the week. I took my brother out for his birthday lunch. I won’t say which one it was, but we had fun. It was great to laugh and talk with my OLDER brother. On my way home, I stopped in at East Davidson. I got to see several colleagues and talk with some friends. I miss seeing my work friends on a daily basis.

            Date night this week was at a special restaurant in town. We went to say good-bye to one of our favorite servers there. He got a new job and it was his last night. The dinner was great, but so was the opportunity to wish him well.

            I had a great conversation with a former student this week. She is helping with my website design. We got to talk and share about our lives, the ups and downs. I love to hear how steady her faith is no matter what comes her way.

            I was blessed to spend time with the pastor and his family this week. Whether we are going over the routine things about the church, sharing hopes and dreams, talking through some challenges, or just laughing and cutting up in the office after church on Sunday…I’ll say it again, I feel blessed. His family makes me feel like I am a part of their family.

            You see, quiet weeks are still filled. No matter how busy or quiet a week might be, spending time with God has to be a priority. With the nice weather we had recently, I was spending time quietly on my porch or going for walks. I feel lazy on cold, wet days, but just because it is difficult shouldn’t keep us from our Father.

            I saw several pictures recently on Facebook of friends with their children asleep on their chest. That’s the kind of closeness that God wants with us. Some of my best conversations with the Lord occur with my head on my pillow. It’s quiet and the distractions of life are removed. I can hear His voice and curl up in His love. God wants to be that intimate with us. If He knows the number of hairs on our heads, He is already intimately acquainted with us. We need to open our hearts and become more aware of Him.

            I want to encourage you to draw close to God. Crawl up in His arms. He wants you close to His heart. I know the importance of awe and respect for the Almighty. I try to worship Him as exuberantly as King David did. He deserves it. But I want that closeness so I can hear God call me His son and Jesus call me brother and friend. God’s love is more profound than any of us can understand, but I want to be immersed in it. I encourage you to run into your Heavenly Father’s arms.

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

By Doug Creamer

            People keep asking me, “What are you doing now that you are retired?” The truth is that I have been busier now than ever. I have a calendar beside my desk and I use Google calendar to help me keep up with everything. I will admit that I feel better rested most of the time, and healthier thanks to being away from all the germs at school.

            One of the first things I got involved in was teaching children in China through the internet. I don’t make a lot of money doing it, but I sure do have a lot of fun. I connect with most of the kids and we laugh and learn together. Some of them have even taught me a few words in Chinese.

            I started looking for some other work. I am considering two or three different options and trying to discover the best fit for me. I keep asking my friends to keep me in their prayers. They keep telling me that I will know in my spirit which door is the right one for me. One of my nephews recently told me to consider my mission statement as I look at options. Now, why didn’t I think of that?

            One other thing I have done is help a friend get his book published on Amazon. We had fun working together, and seeing his dream turn into a reality gave me great joy. His sales are off and running and I couldn’t be happier.

            Another friend approached me about helping him build a website. We bought the name he wanted and set it up with a hosting company. Now comes the task of actually building the site. It’s something he has dreamed about doing and I feel honored to help him.

            I looked at my website the other day and realized that it needs a facelift. I am not sure when I can start doing that as I have another website project that has been keeping me busy. For over a year now I have been working on a new website where I am bringing writers together. All of us are positive and encouraging writers. Most of us write about our faith and how to live it in a practical way.

            The website, EncouragingU.com, has been a fun hobby. The question I keep asking myself is; could it become an actual business? We are just about to the place where we will have one writer posting a column every day. I work to keep posting interesting links to other positive stories in the news. I feel like there is so much negative news out in the world; here is a place where someone can come and feel refreshed.

            My hope is that I will continue to find new encouraging writers who will join us in our endeavor. I would also love to find some sponsors to help create some income. But those are both things for the Lord to figure out. In the meantime, I plan to continue having fun building and seeing what God does with it.

            A friend recently reminded me of something I already know: the future is in the Lord’s hands. It’s knowing the future and fulfilling God’s purposes in my lifetime that is the challenge. As I thought about the unknown future this week, there are two things I know for certain. First, I know the Lord’s voice. I have walked with Him for many years and He has led me through many changes in my life. He hasn’t failed me once.

            The second thing I know for sure is that He has always provided for me. He is faithful. He is good. He will show me the right path, but there must be some behind-the-scenes details that He has to work out first. God’s always at work. I can lay my biggest fear aside, I will not miss Him. He will come and guide me along the path, quite simply because I am His son and He always takes care of His family.

            I want to encourage you to place your future in His hands. It takes faith to believe in our Father, who is concerned about every detail of our lives. We have to believe He is here, walking and talking with us. We have to trust God to open the doors for us. God has our best future in His heart. Our best future will make us more like His Son. I’m putting my hand in His; I can’t wait to see the adventure He’s got planned.  

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