Where Is Your Identity?

By Pastor Troy

Have you ever felt like you have lost your identity?  We all have this happen as we transition into different stages of life.  When I was very young my identity was found in a dog named Fritzy…He had big ears, was soft and I took him everywhere.  That is until I started school and it was no longer acceptable for a boy in kindergarten to carry a stuffed dog everywhere.  It only took one comment from a classmate to realize it was time to lose the dog. 
 
Throughout high school and college my identity slowly transitioned from a stuffed dog to athletics.  I competed in all the normal sports in school…football, wrestling, baseball etc.  I also tried skateboarding and even windsurfing on the Mississippi River.  A quick turn through the old photo album confirms my greatest fear….I was not near as cool as I thought.  The old memory certainly can play tricks though.
 
This reality came shortly after my wedding.  NOBODY cares about your high school or college career after you are married.  It is no longer cool to share stories of fame on the old gridiron.  The old memories of that huge win pretty much fall on empty ears unless you are talking to the one person who can beat everything….you know the stories….”I would be in the NFL if it wasn’t for the knee injury.”  Or, the guy who plays softball four nights a week and still thinks that Major League Baseball is going to scout the church league for talent.  His identity lies in the stories of great moments in sports history…“Remember last Tuesday night when I gunned down that guy from center field?”  My interpretation: the guy trying to score from first on a base hit ran just fast enough to get his gut over his knees and so when rounding third he had the choice to fall down and look as pathetic as he was or keep going with the momentum and hope for a collision at home plate.  Since he chose to keep going, the “three-hopper” from short center was just enough to get him out.  My message to “Mr. Softball”, if you have to find your identity on the softball field, there may be a good reason to start looking for a few other places to pamper your ego. 
 
As we age there is something positive about keeping a youthful identity.  I enjoy trying to keep up with people half my age.  I enjoy looking somewhat youthful….and this is exactly why I am walking around in a daze.  This week, Leigh-Ann and I committed the ultimate act of treason against our youth and purchased a MINIVAN.  I just cringed as I typed those words.  We had a cool truck and we traded it for a MINIVAN.  Yes, I can understand why you have lost respect for me…I have lost respect for me.  I have to look in the mirror every morning….I have to drive the MINIVAN.  Before, on a bad day, I could get into the truck, put it in four wheel drive run right over the curb and park on the grass at Alexa’s soccer games….if I try that this week with a minivan, it could fall apart.  So I am bound to stay on paved roads in the right lane….there is nothing cool about passing someone with a MINIVAN.  When driving down the road, I used to look down into everyone’s car and feel a little superior…now when driving down the road I am constantly reminded that I am middle aged with kids and I drive a MINIVAN.
 
I have finally come to the conclusion that I will not find my identity in a stuffed animal, athletic accomplishments or my vehicle.  In all seriousness, it is very natural for us to fall into the trap of looking for an identity in all the wrong places.  We are so often enamored with spending our life in the pursuit of good and wasting our time while spending it.  Christ has called us to find our identity in Him and fulfilling His great commission.  Herb Hodges said, "If you are spending your life, the expenditure is final. There is not a dividend from the act. Frankly, most 'Christian activities' we engage in whether church attendance, Bible reading, prayers, etc. are expenditures more than they are investments. They are 'survival' activities to make us 'good Christians' instead of investments which will impact the world to the ends of the earth 'til the end of time. Thus they betray the Commission of Jesus." 
 
Our identity must communicate the characteristics of disciple-making.  Christ has called us to deny ourselves and follow him.  The good news is we don’t need a truck to carry that cross….
 
I invite you to join us this Sunday to hear a powerful message on discipleship from Reverend Herb Hodges.  As always, Café Nouri will be open early for a cup of coffee or Muffin.  I hope you have the best weekend yet….pursuing the cross!

Oh, For a Good Night of Sleep

By Pastor Troy

This morning I woke up to the steady sound of “sawing logs”, which is only slightly better than the screeching of my alarm clock. Yes, the undeniable vibration of respiratory structures, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping can be a test of sanctification. After a little research on the internet, I have found that the irregular airflow is caused by a blockage, due to causes including:

• Throat weakness causing the throat to close during sleep
• Mispositioned jaw, often caused by tension in muscles
• Fat gathering in and around the throat
• Obstruction in the nasal passageway

The guilty party in our family needs some serious attention. This snoring is having a big impact in the overall health and well being of all of us. According to Wikipedia, snoring is known to cause sleep deprivation to both the snorer and those who hear him/her, as well as knock-on effects: daytime drowsiness, irritability, lack of focus and decreased libido.

So in my mind, since I know the cause to all these symptoms, I guess there must be a solution. After much thought and a little medical research I have concluded that if I don’t want to wake up to the sound of sawing logs, I have a few choices:

1. Find a solution to the problem and allow the guilty party to stay
2. Get used to the problem and allow the guilty party to stay
3. Kick the guilty party out of the room

Some of you are aghast that I would even suggest kicking the guilty party out of the room. That is because you don’t know who the guilty party is . . . no, it is not Leigh-Ann or me. The snoring is coming from Pepper! Yes, the little black fur ball of a dog sleeps under our bed and snores so loud at times the pictures shake. It is a regular occurrence for me to wake up out of a peaceful sleep only to hear “Pepper, shut up” followed by the beating of a pillow against the side of the bed. And this is why in my subconscious I know much better than to even try to snore . . . I am not about to get into a pillow fight in the middle of the night.

As a man, it is natural for me to evaluate things and their impact on us . . . especially the bottom line. So this morning was not the first time I have asked myself why we have a dog. Think about it for a minute: dogs eat food which costs money; they drink water which means someone has to keep the water dish full (but even when it’s full it is a pain—ever tripped over the water dish in the middle of the night? I have—not good); dogs find the most unique places in the neighborhood to eliminate their food (just ask a fire hydrant); dogs get sick; dogs get upset when you leave them for a vacation; dogs have to go to the vet; dogs are attracted to mud; dogs make a mess (remember the last time he got into the garbage); dogs need baths; dogs need a treat just to sit down; dogs make us talk weirdly (try listening to someone talk to a dog and pretend there is a person in the room and not a dog: "Come here, poochy poochy").

In case you don’t believe me, according to CNN, in 2005, Americans spent $14 billion on pet food and treats and $36.3 billion on veterinarian care (I couldn’t find a stat for just dogs). In addition, there are 5 million dog bites each year resulting in $400 million in legal fees.
So why do humans put up with all the hassles of owning a dog? It’s because there is the possibility for such a close bond between human and dog. God has placed human relationships in each of our lives and they can certainly be a pain—sometimes even more work than having a dog. This Sunday we will be spending our time on John 7:37-52. I am EXTREMELY excited about all that God has for us in this passage. Without giving it all away, we will see that by grace alone, Jesus has given each of us the choice to have a relationship with Him. This relationship will certainly take more work than having a pet . . . but believe it or not the rewards is even greater. Jesus promises eternal satisfaction . . . even if the dog snores.

Open Hand - A Prayer Request

When I woke up this morning, I thought it would be a pretty normal day . . . sure there are unexpected phone calls and meetings. Some days have more aberrations than others. I had no idea God was going to reveal His plan for New Life Ministries to move to a new location by the end of the year. As I write, I am doing my best to sound confident, but deep inside I have a pit in my stomach. I am fighting the urge to dwell on fleshly and selfish thoughts. Honestly, it has been a long time since I have had to do this, but I am fighting tears and I don’t know why.

Last year we watched God move by nullifying sales contracts and opening up the opportunity for us to begin our church services in the Scarritt building for the cost of $1. If you haven’t read about it you can see the journey here. We have watched God do amazing things from providing for ALL of our needs, to changing lives on a daily basis, to bringing just the right people at the right time. I am still in a struggle for faith. In my head, I know God is in control and has His best interests in mind, in my feelings I am struggling with doubt.

Enough about me . . . you are reading this because you are a part of the New Life family, and we need to unite together in prayer for God to continue to reveal Himself in miraculous ways.

This morning, in my devotions I read the following verses from Isaiah 8:11-13 “For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 'Do not call conspiracy all that this people callsconspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.' ”

These verses are a timely reminder to worry only about pleasing the Lord and doing what He has called us to do on a daily basis. As far as I know, all we can do is expect a miracle.

Intimidating Interviews

By Pastor Troy

The INTERVIEW has always been a little mysterious for me. Think about it . . . you are expected to cram your entire life experience into less than an hour in order to convince someone you have never met that you are someone that he or she would like to hire. The type of employment you are seeking will usually dictate what you choose from your life to insert into the one hour interview time slot. The pressure is on, it has to be good or at least better than everyone else interviewing.

When I was in college I remember an interview that I had in order to work as a waiter in a truck stop called “The Pine Cone.” Who names a restaurant “The Pine Cone?” Is there anything even remotely appetizing about a pine cone? Certainly, there were pine trees (notice the past tense, because they had to cut them down to make room for the building) around the restaurant, but please correct me if I’m wrong, do you name a restaurant “The Acorn” if it is near Oak trees or “The Dog” if it is near some Dogwood trees. It would seem to me that if I was going to name a restaurant after a tree I would start with something appetizing like “Maple” or “Apple” or realistic like “Ash.” Actually come to think of it, the most fitting name would most certainly have been “Ash.” There were days I would go from work to football practice without having time to shower and some of the guys thought I was a firefighter….“Nope, just worked a full shift at the “Pine Cone”’….no other explanation needed.

Back to the interview…the manager asks me, “So why do you think we should hire you?” I am looking around at the current employees and want to say, “Have you seen the people working here?” Instead, I break into a long explanation that includes my previous work experience at a restaurant and strong character and work ethic. Next question, “Are you dependable.” Why even ask that question? Does he really think that someone is going to say, “Well probably not, I mean, I usually skip about one day of work per week and like to show up late without notice.” Where do they get these questions? One of my favorites, “Are you honest?” Do you really think a dishonest person is going to answer honestly?

So after a handful of ridiculously worn out interview questions, the hiring manager (I worked for him one entire semester and I can’t remember his name) turns to me and asks me what questions I have for him. I start with, “Is this a good work environment?” What was I thinking? Of course it’s a good work environment….minimum wage, no benefits, one 15 minute break every 8 hour shift, I have to wear short shorts (they weren’t that bad-but when you’re the only guy that is a server and the majority of customers are truck drivers, wearing shorts can be a little AWKWARD). “Is there room for advancement in the company?” “Yeah, you can advance from the breakfast bar to the main dining room….tips are a little better in there….but you have to be fast.” As I think back on this great life experience, I tend to agree, the single guy that tried to order from the senior menu to save 10% and demanded that his coffee be refilled 15 times was more likely to leave a $1 dollar bill when seated in the dining room rather than give me exactly 15% of $4.75 down to the penny (.71 cents if you were wondering) while seated at the breakfast bar.

By the end of my interview at the “Pine Cone”, I think we each had plenty of time to share our entire life experiences and clearly explain our individual objectives. And yes, I started work the next day. :-)

Not all interviews are that lackadaisical or meaningless. Some interviews can mean a major change in life from greater opportunities to moving to a new location to increased salary and benefits. When preparing for these interviews, the stakes are much higher and the margin for error is much smaller. So you really must make your opportunity count. Each answer must be carefully worded and each question must be clearly communicated.

In our passage for this Sunday, John 7:14-36 Jesus is answering questions from both the crowd of Jews and the Jewish leaders gathered at the Feast of Tabernacles. The situation is similar to an interview because the questions are difficult and somewhat unexpected and the reply is extremely important. Jesus once again proves His perfection as he smoothly navigates around each potential landmine. I hope you will be able to join us for the service on Sunday, as we break down four different explanations from the Messiah. I also ask for you to personally pray with me for God to be glorified and each person in attendance to be challenged and encouraged.

The Greatest Inventions

By Pastor Troy

Since the discovery of the wheel, there have been some great inventions. Think about how the incandescent (yes, that is a big word) light bulb has changed our lives. Ok, you can stop thinking… Other important inventions such as the telephone, personal computer, air conditioning and remote control have made HUGE impacts in our lives. Can you imagine what life was like when people had to get out off the couch or chair move across the room and change the TV channel? And also, whoever invented air conditioning did not get paid enough. I have yet to meet someone in 100 + degree weather, complaining about having to sit in a cooler climate.

Not all inventions have been totally positive. There are a few inventions that we have a love – hate relationship with. The football is one of the first that comes to mind. Yes, the football. To some of you the very mention of the word football makes you salivate. Your mind immediately springs into motion thinking about your favorite team and remembering that time on Thanksgiving Day when you went deep for a touchdown. This was not any ordinary touchdown, it was you against the world and the ball was overthrown, but YOU went up for it and with the fingertips of one hand, pulled it in for the annual Turkey Bowl victory. Now every holiday you remind everyone (since for some reason you are the only one that remembers it) of that great catch in the backyard complete with an end zone dance that would make Chad Johnson green with envy. You may be totally out of shape, but the mere sight of a football makes you feel like you could read a defense like Peyton Manning, run through tackles like Larry Johnson, and score touchdowns like LaDanian Tomlinson. The NFL needs you – they need your mind for the game, your experience and passion to win.

Sadly though, these warm fuzzy thoughts do not saturate everyone’s mind at the sound of the word “football.” In fact, as difficult as this may be to believe, some people could care less about football (cue loud gasp)! This is the time of year that we begin to hear stories of football widows. How come we never hear stories about Oprah widowers? This is where the hate part of the invention comes in. I do not understand how a red-blooded American can be apathetic about the FOOTBALL. But sad to say, it is a reality. This one is close to home….because Leigh-Ann thinks I am crazy. She says, “What is the big deal about a bunch of grown men running around in tight pants and helmets, chasing a ball and trying to tackle each other…Don’t they have something better to do?” This is when things get a little testy in our household…I have learned some things need no defense - they speak for themselves. Nobody needs to defend the value of the wheel and the telephone and I certainly do not need to defend the value of football. It is a given…it is a truth yet to be revealed.

So as I write this, I patiently wait for Leigh-Ann to come to the light….to view reality through the eyes of truth. It would be impossible for me to force the inevitable upon her…so I wait patiently for her to see the value of football. At the going rate, I may need to wait until we get to heaven before she understands the value of football. Just kidding! It seems every year she shows signs of breaking (of course, after this e-mail there will probably be something else breaking…my streak of 8+ years of not having to sleep on the couch).

This Sunday we will be studying patience from a whole different perspective. Much more important than waiting for a spouse to agree with you (we all know that may never happen :-) ), God has called us to wait for His timing in certain circumstances. It is never easy to accept timing besides “RIGHT NOW” but there are stages in our lives for which God has a different plan. This week we will see why God has called us to stop trying to manufacture ministry and wait on Him to perform miracles in lives. If at all possible, I hope you will plan to join in our Sunday Morning worship service this week. Wherever you are, please pray for God to do His work in your life. I hope you have a great weekend that is focused on “God.”