Jeff Searcy

Hello, all. As we jump into March, I hope that 2011 is moving along in the right direction and bringing you everything you hoped for. If not…hang in there. Keep praying. Know that God has a plan for you and He is in control. As we continue talking about life on the road, we’ve come to the part that is the hardest for many of us…me included. We have thought about what we would like to do and, more importantly, what we need and are called to do. Now comes the hardest part…doing it. Literally stepping out of the boat…walking out of the door, getting in the car, starting it, putting it in reverse, actually backing out of the driveway, and then putting it into gear and hitting the road. It’s the point of no return. You know, I think of it like being at the pool or the lake. You say to yourself, “Man that water looks good. I’m gettin’ in.” You dip a toe in and realize, “Hmmm, water’s a bit chilly.” Here it is…the decision….the point of no return. It’s time to put up or shut up. You have got do decide whether you jump, or not, knowing that once you leave your feet and you’re over the water there is no turning back. Let’s say you jump. Splash! WOW! Man, that’s really cold! (Fret not, gents. I’m not going any further.) Yes, it may be a bit uncomfortable at first but after a while your body gets acclimated, and, it feels pretty good. In fact, you are glad you jumped in. It all starts with effort…action.

Anything we do in life takes effort or action, of some sort, on our part. Even breathing requires an exertion of energy. Some things are easier than others and some things we are more apt to exert more effort in doing. Let’s see. Guys, how many of us would say that more effort is made to get to a race or the ball field at 6:00 am on Saturday morning than is made to get to church at 11:00 am on Sunday? Ouch. Told you we would be hitting some truths pretty hard. Hey, most of us, if we’re honest, will admit we are guilty at some time or another. But I’m not here to throw holy bombs. I’m probably more guilty than most. Nevertheless, life requires effort and action.

God is always working on me and in my life…on all three facets – professional, personal, and private. Much of His work has come with little or no action required from me. However, there is quite a bit that requires me to do something. I pray daily that God will open and close doors as He sees fit. I pray that prayer with the full understanding that when He opens a door, He expects me to go through it. I’m really honest with you when I say there are times that I don’t. Thank goodness for grace. How often do we pray for something, for God to open a door, and then sit back and wait…and wait…and wait? While all the time the door was wide open. He was waiting for us to go through. It’s like praying day in and day out to win the lottery. Then one day we hear a voice say, “Buy a ticket.” I have never had the Holy Spirit literally pick me up by my belt loop and throw through a door that God has opened. I have to go through it myself. The cool thing about going through a God opened door is that we may go through with one perspective or expectation and what God has planned is completely different. Of course, we don’t realize how cool it is at the time. It sometimes takes a while to see it. But when you love the Lord, put your life in His hands, and allow Him to guide your steps, hindsight is pretty clear…and awesome. All those situations and circumstances that you thought were bad, painful, or completely whacked, many of them I’m sure were flat out awful, actually brought you to the exact place you needed to be…at the exact time…fully prepared and equipped to receive the blessing of your life. Now that rocks!

Let’s now take it a few steps further and from a different perspective. Up to now, all of the focus has been on us…the blessings we get from acting on God’s promptings and going through doors He opens. What about all those around us – our families, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc…? How does our responding to God’s call impact them…or others we may never even meet? What legacy do we leave? We might never know. But think about this. What, perhaps, would have happened if Abraham had not acted on God’s calling to pack up all he had and to take his family, leave his people and his country, and set out to parts unknown (Gen. 12)? What about Noah, before that (Gen. 6)? If he had not taken action and built the ark (let us not forget that he built it in the middle of the desert) where would we be? Let me bring it a little closer to home. What if all of the pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and believers in Christ throughout history hadn’t, at some point, acted on God’s prompting and call? Would you, or I, or people around the world ever have come to know or be shown the incredible love of God? Would you and I be visiting here together, today? Makes you think, doesn’t it?

So, hit the road. Go through the doors that God opens. Regardless of whether it makes sense or not…because often times it won’t. And, what we think we want…or don’t want…may not necessarily be what God wants for us. His plan is perfect and He knows exactly what He is doing. And what He is doing is the best for us…regardless of how many times we throw a look of utter confusion heavenward. If you have any doubts, pick up His Word. He gives us countless passages of reassurance. One of my favorites, which is also our family verse, is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV) What an awesome God we serve. Keep it real….and between the lines.

Published in Power Source Magazine March 2011 (www.powersourcemagazine.com)

Welcome to February, the short month of the year. But, despite what every other human being on earth likely believes, February is the true beginning of the year. I can already see the wrinkles on your forehead. January, while actually the first month of the calendar year, is really the “recover from Christmas, New Years, and extended time off, trying to get back in the saddle at work as well as adopting a healthy lifestyle, again, finding myself making the  same New Year’s resolutions as last year, still writing 2010 on everything, getting the kids back in school, and taking steps to make this the best year ever and realizing I don’t have the energy or the time to revamp everything so I’ll press forward as is” month. It usually takes a full 31 days to go through the aforementioned cycle but we do get through it, by God’s grace, and usually with a much better and more realistic perspective. That brings us to February. Now, on to 2011 and “Life from the Road”.  We talked last month that in order to truly experience the divine appointments and experiences God has for us, we have to go where Jesus is…out of the boat and into the waves. We have to get out of the house and on the road. But first…we must prepare.

Whether you believe it or not, God is always at work in our lives and truly wants to be a part of every minute aspect of it. God’s word says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (NIV). The harsh reality here guys is that despite our best efforts and desires, we are NOT in control? Think about all the plans we make during, and for, our lives.  As many of us know all too well, a plan’s first brush with reality often ends in failure. Failure according to our perspective, that is, not God’s. For the trip, we check the weather, consider traffic patterns, etc… However, there is no way to plan for the unexpected occurrences that will inevitably happen along the way. I have hundreds of examples of things that have happened to me while “on the road”. I have no doubt you do as well. And since we cannot foresee everything that will happen to us during our trip, we have to get prepared. The key is not simply to plan. The key is to plan properly. Hint: Taking planning advice from the One who does know what is going to happen to us is the smart thing to do. More on that in a minute.   

One of the many things I learned while in the Marine Corps was the concept of The 7 P’s: Proper Prior Planning Prevents P— Poor Performance. For most audiences and applications, the 6 P’s are more than adequate. You just have to love the Marines and the colorful expressions…hence the 7. Back to planning. For our trip, the destination, conditions, and duration will determine the appropriate gear needed…appropriate being the operative term. Having the right gear will keep us from being forced to create some crazy, but no doubt colorful, story about why we packed what we did or didn’t pack what we should have. Been there…done that…got the t-shirt. We must be as prepared as possible in order to be able to handle whatever comes our way, both good and bad.

God has incredible things in store for us during our trip. However, not acknowledging that there are two sides to the coin is about as smart as only looking one way before stepping out into heavy traffic. In addition to the awesome experiences and blessings that happen while on the road, there are road blocks, detours, delays, potholes, accidents, and overall disappointments. God’s word is the ultimate guide to trip preparation. Through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, God provided sound instruction on how to prepare, each day, for the trip.

The following prayer, based on Ephesians 6:10-18, was given to me years ago. I have researched extensively but have yet to identify the author. Nevertheless, I humbly ask for forgiveness as I distribute it and share it whenever possible.

“Father, today by faith in Jesus, I put on the (1) GIRDLE OF TRUTH. I thank You today that I know who I am in Christ – a child of God whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Lord, I want to by faith put on the (2) BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS to protect me from responding to circumstances and people emotionally rather than spiritually. Before I rise each day, Father, put on my feet the sandals of the (3) GOSPEL OF PEACE that I may be used by You to share the peace of God with other men. Father, I thank you that I can take up the (4) SHIELD OF FAITH knowing as I place my trust in You today, you are sufficient to protect me from fiery darts so that nothing can touch me. Lord, I place on my head the (5) HELMET OF SALVATION. Protect my thinking from things that don’t conform to Your will. Father, I take up the (6) SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is YOUR WORD. This is my only offensive piece of equipment but it is also defensive so that when Satan attacks me, I am armed and ready to ward off all his arrows. The victory has ultimately been won. I march today under that great banner of victory, washed by the blood, armed with the Word, dressed in the armor of righteousness, believing and thanking You for what You are going to do. Lord, I pray this day that I may recognize who the enemy is and claim VICTORY as I am properly dressed to face every challenge by Your causative, overcoming power. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Ephesians 6:10-18.”

I encourage you, daily, to pray it for yourself. Or, do what I do and replace the “I’s” with “We’s” and pray it on behalf of your family, friends, Brothers in Christ, etc…

Being properly prepared allows us to experience fully and recognize God’s providence in all of the things that will happen while on the road. Rain, while difficult to drive in, fosters a rainbow when it’s finished. And detours, while usually inconvenient and annoying, can reveal a much preferable route with breathtaking scenery, unforgettable experiences, or both. Besides, how boring would it be if all our travels were filled with blue skies, warm winds, open roads, and no speed traps?  Until next time…Keep it real.

Published in Power Source Magazine February 2011 (www.powersourcemagazine.com)

Happy New Year, guys. I hope everyone survived the Christmas holidays. For you football fans, I hope that your team either won, continues to win, hopes to win, or that you have come to grips with the fact that no matter how much you screamed at the television, the refs, or both, painted your face, wore the colors, donned the rally caps, prayed for a fumble, or all of the above, you had little or no control over the loss and you will live…maybe. For those of you who are not football fans, it is absolutely okay. In fact, you just may be better off than those of us who are.

Back to the matter at hand. It’s January and the start of the New Year. We have the perfect opportunity to make this year all that we wanted last year to be.  If last year was everything you wanted, great. Make this year even better. If last year was less than optimal, what caused the wheels to come off? Where did it happen? What road lead you to a place that perhaps you shouldn’t have been? What left did you take when right was the way to go? Did you lean on your own sense of navigational ability or did you use a GPS? And if you used a GPS, did the “G” stand for “global” or “God”? Was the device a Garmin or a Bible? How did you get to where you are? Are you catching a theme here?

Many of us remember the days of road trips. And many of us still enjoy them. Perhaps in a  different way than before but enjoy them nonetheless, we do. Oh, the stories we have and will  never share no matter how many bamboo shoots are shoved under our finger nails or how  many times you make us listen to Milli Vanilli! Ouch! And the bamboo would hurt, too. Some  of my greatest memories and most embarrassing, exhilarating, joyous, scared, spiritual,  inspired and tragic moments happened during some type of excursion. I am sure many of you  can relate. While memories were certainly made and experiences realized once a  destination  was reached, often the trip began with no particular destination in mind at all. You simply gathered the guys together (sometimes ‘gathered’ was the operative term as late night extractions were not uncommon), made the announcement, jumped in the car (or were thrown into the car as a result of the extraction), and went. It was all about the trip…the journey…the ride.

Life happens on the road…outside the house. If we want to experience everything God has in store for us, we HAVE to leave the safe confines of our homes… our places of safety… our man caves! These safe havens are not necessarily brick and mortar structures. They are our jobs, our lifestyles, our habits, our priorities, our attitudes, our perspectives, our
friends.  Confusion has set in, hasn’t it? You’re thinking, “I completely get the ‘If I have a  destructive or bad habit, my priorities are whacked, or if I have friends that lean toward the  rough side that I need to make a change.’ But, if the above mentioned “safe places” are not  necessarily bad, destructive, some may even be good, why would I want or need to leave  them?” Bottom line: If something – a safe place – is keeping us from what God has in store for  our lives, regardless of whether it’s good or even if we think it is, it’s dirt we need to shake.  Don’t misunderstand me here. I’m not telling anyone to leave a job, a commitment, or a  family. Far from it. I’m saying we need to remove the governor from the engine and let it fly. We need to blow the cobwebs from the carburetor and experience God’s highway of blessings! The cool thing is, when we go out on our road trips, we get to come back to that safe place. We get to come back home.  Often the experiences we have on the road have a significant impact on how we view things…some positively…some negatively. But there’s no way we aren’t changed in some way by what we experience as a result of being on life’s highway.

I have heard it many times and it is certainly worth repeating here, ‘If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.” Let’s modify it to fit our road trip theme, “If we want God’s ‘Route 66’ experience, we have to get out of the house and hit the road.” Why is that? When Peter left the boat and stepped onto the water, who was there? You got it. Jesus. If we want to experience a life that is full of divine appointments and experiences, we have to go where Jesus is. We have to get out of the boat. We have to leave the safe places and hit the road.

Guess what guys? We are going on a road trip. Throughout 2011, we are going to look at things from life outside the house.  We are going to look at life “from the road”.  We are going to challenge some perspectives. We are going to face some hard truths and hit some things head one…figuratively, of course. We are going to be real, relevant, relentless in our pursuit, and definitely Jesus Freak’ish radical. And we are going on this trip together. Are you with me? I’ll be honest with you. There’s a lot that I need to work on. I need to work on being a better husband, a better dad, a better servant, a better follower of Christ. I know that if I focus on the latter, the former will have a much better chance of happening. It has to be less about me and more about Him. But I also know I can’t go at it alone. And why would I want to? It’s just like with a road trip. It could be done as a solo venture but where’s the fun in that? The best part about any excursion is who’s with you on it. So…Come on. Let’s go. I’m not sure when we’ll get back but I can tell you it will be a trip for the ages. Get in and buckle up. By the way…“Are we there yet?” Sorry. I couldn’t resist.  Keep it real.

Published in Power Source Magazine January 2011 (www.powersourcemagazine.com)

It’s that time of year again. Yes, it’s Christmas. The time for decorations, lights, sweaters (everywhere except Florida), cider, great food, friends, family, traffic, stress, overcrowded malls, and gifts. It also means carols that began just after July 4^th and will go through Memorial Day. Sorry, maybe it just seems that way. No, I like Christmas carols and Christmas music …during Christmas. I digress.

The song “Little Drummer Boy” was always a favorite of mine growing up. But I never really understood the meaning or took the song’s message into context as it relates to “the giving of a gift.” Now I have to be honest when I say that I am not the biggest fan of the Christmas holiday. Yes, you read it right. No typo here. I know that I have just thrown many of you, and those in ear shot of your audible reaction to this as well as those who just saw you throw your copy of Power Source Magazine across the room, into an uproar and simply cannot believe that a Christian, especially one who claims to be an “outspoken and highly motivated servant of the Almighty” would say that he was not a fan of Christmas.  I am going to pause here for a second……or two….. Good. Hopefully things have calmed down where you are, you didn’t lose your testimony, and your blood pressure has come back to a relatively normal level. If it hasn’t, please take some deep breaths and think happy thoughts. It’s okay. I’ll wait for you. I don’t want you to miss out on the rest of the message.

I said I wasn’t a fan of the Christmas HOLIDAY, not the reason why we celebrate Christmas. Christ was the greatest Gift ever given. Period.  And the gift He brings is eternal life with Him in heaven. While I could jump into full pastoral discourse, I see no need for it. Bottom line: It really doesn’t get any better than God’s Gift and the gift of salvation. Now. What I am not a big fan of is what the Christmas holiday has turned into…a “keepin’ up with the Jones’ and trying to get everything that’s hot this year while making sure the kids get more than last year in order to outdo the neighbors and coworkers in a quest – to the death if necessary – for the ultimate gift despite the mounting debt but it’s never quite enough” holiday. I have to ask you, does that sound like a holiday where Christ is at the center? You don’t have to respond. We know the answer.

We as people, especially us men, need to realize that we bring absolutely nothing to the table. It’s God’s unlimited grace that allows us to enter into His presence. It’s not what we bring through our abilities, talents, or our works. He doesn’t need us. He created the heavens and the earth for crying out loud. He is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. But despite our inadequacies, He wants to be involved in every single little aspect of our lives. All He asks of us is…us. We think His love is because of us and what we do for Him. Is this you? However, as Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast.” On the other side, many of us feel so unworthy, so undeserving of anyone’s love, much less God’s love, because of what we have done or even continue to do, that the gifts of grace and forgiveness are far beyond our reach or comprehension.  We feel there is no way God wants to hear from me, could ever love me, or would ever want a “gift” from me. Is that you? Romans 5:8 (NIV) says, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Back to the drum…

As I said earlier, the song “The Little Drummer Boy” was a favorite of mine growing up but I never really got it, or at least what it means to me, until just recently. A small boy, in a humbleness that only a child can bring, stands before Christ, the newborn King, the Savior of the world, and brings all he has, a gift of noise made by two sticks on an animal skin draped over a piece of wood.  If you listen to the words of the song, it says, “ I’m a poor boy too…I have no gift to bring…that’s fit to give the King…Shall I play for you…on my drum…” His gift was not the beautiful tones from a violin, or a flute, or a harp. He banged on a drum.  I can only imagine what God must have thought as He looked proudly down at the boy, His child. No doubt His response must have been, “That’s all I want you to do. I gave you a drum. And all I ask is that you do your best with what I have given you and then give it, your life, back to me as a gift.” By the way, He wants the same from us today.  The song goes on, “I played my drum for Him…I played my best for Him…” What happens? The last line of the song says it all… “Then He smiled at me, pa rum pa pum pum, me and my drum.”

How awesome, and humbling, and incredible, and unbelievable is it that we can stand before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords empty handed and with nothing more to offer but our messed up and shallow lives …noise, and receive unconditional grace, love, and forgiveness…a smile? Wow.  That’s my God.  Men, our worth in this life is not in the status we achieve, in the possessions we have acquired, in the fortunes we have amassed, or in the gifts we are able or unable to give. Our worth resides in the eyes and arms of our Heavenly Father and in the life, and noise, we bring to the manger of Christ. Merry Christmas. Keep it real.

Published in Power Source Magazine, December 2010 (www.powersourcemagazine.com)

When we hear the term American fighting man, many images come to mind. If I sat down with 100 men and asked them to describe that image by using a person they know, actor or character from a book, movie, etc..and we meshed them all together, no doubt we would end up with a shirtless, gruff voiced, indestructible gladiator type universal soldier clad in armor – both of the muscular and man-made persuasion, bandoliers, rifles & machine guns strapped across his back, an assortment of knives strategically placed for easy deployment, chewing on a cigar, and sporting a quiet, lone wolf countenance as well as the scars and battle wounds from far too many enemy encounters. Wow! What an image. At some time in our lives, I think it is safe to say, we have all aspired and/or pretended to be that guy. I know I did..and have.

But I am here to present the true American fighting man. He stands head and shoulders above the image we created earlier and with abilities, strength, and talents that far exceed anything we or Hollywood could ever dream up. Want to see him? This is going to blow your mind.

Ready?….Drum roll please…louder….build up…louder…….crowd goes crazy… flash/explosion…big screen lights up… and…Insert picture of YOU here.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Come on, Searcy.  Be serious. I’m an ordinary guy. Yeah, I’m a man’s man. I play sports….like to tackle the woods now and then. I do my fair share of guy stuff…to include a fight or two back in the day. (Maybe even yesterday for some of us) But I’m no warrior.  I’m no ‘fighting man’ in the sense you’re talking about.  When I look in the mirror, I don’t see Rambo, John Wayne, or even Private Ryan for that matter. I see… me. Tough guy? Yeah, you betcha. Or at least I like to think so. But, a warrior? Nah.”

Time to change how you view the man in the mirror. Think I’m kidding? I couldn’t be more serious. If we don’t see ourselves as the fighting men we have been called to be, Satan, his henchmen, and the world will wreak havoc in the lives of our families and communities…those very lives we have been entrusted to lead, protect and serve. And that includes you single guys. In fact, you may even have a tougher job. But that’s the subject of another discussion.

We are at war, gentlemen. We are at war against the world and, as God’s Word tells us in Ephesians, at war against the “devil’s schemes…against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:11b-12 NIV). I don’t know about you, but I have yet to see a bullet that can take out an “evil spirit in the heavenly realms”. In fact, I have no doubt that in my own strength I lose that fight, mano e mano, against a ‘power of the dark world’.  These battles rage constantly. And whether we choose to accept it or not, we are smack in the middle of it…taking bullet after bullet and punch after punch. We have a choice. Either we take a place on the wall and stand and fight…or we stick our head in the sand and hope the battle passes. Far be it for me to provide a reality check but if you stick your head in the sand during a fire fight, you get shot in the south end of your north bound direction. In all seriousness, you have to ask yourself a question: Are you relying on your own strength or on a source of strength that never tires or fades? If I might make a tactical suggestion: check your heart.

Hey, you… American fighting man. Isn’t it cool that God looks at the heart of a man, and not his outer appearance (1Sam 16:7)…and certainly not his strength or ability. God works through those who are willing and available. I’ve always heard, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog.”  Remember Gideon, (aka “Mighty Warrior” – a moniker that, by the way, was given by God himself), the least of the least tribe of Israel who took 300 men and wiped out a few hundred thousand Midianites…with trumpets (Judges 6-7)? Gideon’s strength was not in his physique but in his faithfulness and in his heart.  Just as in Gideon, and in that dog in the fight, the fight inside a servant warrior is a heart filled with Jesus Christ: The Name above all names; the Savior of the World; the Lion of Judah; ‘the Rider, called Faithful and True, riding a white horse and dressed in a white robe dipped in blood, His name is the Word of God, with the armies of heaven following Him’ (Rev 19). Now that is truly the Ultimate Warrior. Question: If I could offer you a way to guarantee victory in the inevitable battle of life and death, would you take it? Well, I can. Ask Jesus Christ into your heart and receive the gift of eternal life (John 3:16).

As we are talking about warriors, this Veterans Day please remember and pray for all of the warriors, past and present, and their families, who have served and continue to serve their country in the greatest military in the history of the world. We owe them all a debt of humble gratitude and the utmost respect. Make sure to take time out to thank those who stand and have stood to defend freedom’s wall, for us.  May God bless them.  Keep it real.

Published in Power Source Magazine, November 2010 (www.powersourcemagazine.com)

Isn’t it a huge boost to the old self confidence when your boss, your coach, someone you respect and admire says, “You are the man for the job” or “I need somebody to take care of this and you are my choice.”? Especially when the task you have been given is something you either want to do or feel you is something you have been called to do. I use the latter because what if the one who gave you the nod is God? More on that in a bit.
When I think of ‘getting the nod’, I immediately think of a relief pitcher. Go figure. More specifically, I think of a middle reliever or a set up guy. For those non-baseball fans, the job of the middle reliever and set up guy, while they are not exactly the same, is essentially to take over for the starting pitcher and shut the opposing team down until the closer is brought in to seal the deal. While I never pitched in the big leagues, or beyond high school for that matter, I have been brought into games as middle relief and asked to, “get us through this inning,” or told, “gimme 6 outs. That’s all we need.” Some of those times were less stressful and important as others. But anytime we are asked to ‘take the mound’, we are literally on an island (take a look at the pitcher’s mound on a baseball field), alone, and totally exposed. We are on the spot and we must deliver or our team loses. It’s that simple.
Now, in the case of the ‘6 outs’, if the next 6 batters are players we are familiar with, know their weaknesses or how to get them out, or they are 8 year olds hitting against a 16 year old, we feel pretty confident and have no reservation about ‘taking the hill and flinging the pill.’ However, when the next 6 batters are completely unfamiliar to us and word on the street is that they are first round draft picks of the Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, Dodgers, Braves, and D’Backs and will be heading straight to the show after our game, that is a completely different scenario and one that will throw a little apprehension into the mix. Let’s add to the scenario that everyone we know or have known is in the stands or watching, as the game is being televised nationally and on Armed Forces TV around the globe, and our team’s future, to include the well-being of our families, are on the line and dependant on our ability to ‘get 6 outs’. Despite the confidence we may have in our ability to throw a baseball, the scenario presented is one that would cause the butterflies to stir in even the most seasoned, experienced, and “faithful” pitcher…at any level. Much less one that is 16 years old.
When we are called by God to ‘take the mound’ we oftentimes feel like that 16 year old in the last scenario. And despite the confidence we have in ourselves and in our ability, we often feel overwhelmed, apprehensive, probably a bit inadequate, and, quite frankly, scared. And when God calls us, especially into ministry leadership, a great deal is at stake (as in the last scenario) and we are out on the island. The opposing batters want nothing more than to put a pounding on the new guy on the mound, bat through the order a couple of times, and put a monster number of runs on the scoreboard. However, as the old adage goes, God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. And despite the lonely feeling we may have standing alone on the pitcher’s mound, we are not alone. As God was with Moses, Joshua, David, Gideon, and so many others whose stories and accounts are told throughout Scripture, He is with all those whom He calls. As He told Joshua, “…Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV), He says the same to us today.
So the next time you are in the bullpen warming up and get the nod, take the mound with confidence knowing that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is with you. And despite the line-up of opposing batters to be faced, take heart. He is with you. Besides, who do you think created the wicked 12-6 curve ball? Keep it real.

Published in Power Source Magazine, October 2010 (www.powersourcemagazine.com)