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One man's journey to find the way home |
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I am an American Baptist ordained minister. I began my life journey in Massachusetts, where I was called to help people understand what it meant to know a loving God. The call came during a time when I was wrestling with how to help my brother Kurt, who was diagnosed with Schizophrenia during my high school years. I was a new Christian by my senior year following trying to understand what it meant for me to care about a person like my brother who others tended to stay away from. After twenty three years in Massachusetts, God sent me to the land of Kansas City where I spent about 35 years of my life. I was a pastor, a resident chaplain, a supervisor in training and most recently a caregiver and security. Everything I have done vocationally has been with God in mind. That does not mean that I am totally comfortable with all the movings of the Spirit. I am now in Erie where I do not know very many people. I came here because of my wife. She is from Erie and coming here was the right thing to do. It just plain made sense. My kids had grown up. I did not like Kansas city in terms of climate and was looking forward to a change. I had become very frustrated vocationally and longed to come to Erie to get a second opinion, because I honestly believed that was what God had wanted for me. I left behind kids and grandkids who I loved!!!! I had two jobs that I enjoyed. They were both very appreciative of my skills and I was making more money with the two jobs than I ever had. I heard more than once. ARE YOU CRAZY? Well I can only say that I am in love with God's leading. I am starting all over again. It has not been easy. Maybe some of you can offer me some words of support. I am lonely despite the fact my wife is with me. She battles depression and has two siblings that are having similar battles. When it is all said I am in a depressed community with a depressed wife and her family. So I begin the conversation.... WELCOME!! |
| The sermon ended. I am glad I gave the word. I still have to ask myself what is next. I work tonight!! I pray that I can stay the course and use wisdom in days ahead. It is a journey and the journey is not over. And if I am more grateful and full of Grace and praising God with my last breath it is worth it. |
| Pain in the neck as I drift off to sleep. What will I be ready to praise God for. Time will tell. Be with me Lord. Let your name be praised. |
| I am thankful for what the sermon is teaching me about exercising praise. I need to keep in mind there is a praise overflow in creation, reminding me of victory beyond my wildest dreams. I can sing praise to God and know others can hear. I have found a job and a church. I have see a large debt disappear and vacation is around the corner to spend with people I love. It is praise with David to know God has my back. My battles have been fought at the cross and I am not afraid to call the cross home. I have been anointed by the waters if baptism. God is available to me as water itself. I am called by Jesus in my 3:17 to hear I am the one God is well pleased with. I praise God who raises us from the dead at any given moment. The praises are from the earth, a place that reminds us of our mortality. I am reminded of times people left me for dead. I called out to God and God heard my cry and lifted me out of the miry clay. I have seen how God helps me lift up others, as if lazurus could be brought back to life. David serves as a reminder none of us is meant to dwell in shame. God walks with us so that after a time we get our life back as we read in the story of Bathsheba and various persons in the gospel. We see that we rule when we let praise of God be our guide. David learned to love Saul who chased after him. We rediscover praise as we cling on to faithfulness of God's word that says God will always be with us. We long to sing with creation so that others can sing with us. Young men and maidens, old men and children, princes and rulers, Kings of earth and nation's. The name of Jesus the Christ is prophesied as the ruler of all creation in revelation 4 to 5. There is eternal hope at knowing potential for Christ to come back at any moment. Thank you God for the medicine of praise that creation speaks before and after us. In that symphonic moment we ask others to cry out with us for the stones cry out. We see praise as a key to open doors in place we thought we were trapped and stuck. Every knee shall bow and tongue confess Jesus is Lord. Independence day is arriving let us experience what it mean to praise God I ways the others can want to join in with us. Sing alleluia to the Lord. |
| God offers up praise as a gift that could be delivered by anyone of us. The gift of life and creation itself. God give me peace as I continue to prepare message |
| I am of the opinion that God will share with me how best to be of service. Quitting Papa John's was very far from the end of the world. God had something better. It was merely a matter of receiving hit. Healing means not allowing myself to feel trapped and owing anyone something for any reason. And thus I praise God, I once was lost and now am found. How marvelous how wonderful is my saviour's love for me. And can it be that though my God wouldst die for me. In my heart there rings a Melody of love. Sing alleluia to the Lord. Amen Then the quote about baptism waters. God's love ever with me. |
| I talk with my wife and am left puzzling. My sermon seems close to done and yet my desire to strip emotionally is not met with approval by my wife. The world of being mentally ill offers too many questions without answers and as I look at David I can become perplexed in the light of his desire to love God without needing to understand why various things happen to him and leaves us wanting more of God to discover how to better work with God to save and heal a broken world. |
| I am getting closer to my preaching date. I love my outline. It talks about reflecting. David's own struggles and victories, loving the unlovable which could be one self. |
| I am learning to be grateful for opportunities. I gave meds and then was able to be accountable to what happened after I left. I am hoping to be faithful as best I can. Be with me God. Send others this week that help me stay on task. |
| Sermon on my mind won't go away. I studied last night in terms of revelation 5 fulfillment in relationship to creation story in Genesis. I loved a quote about a bird's song response to praise. God give me strength. I also recall Declan's word expecting great things. When people expect great things great things can happen. |
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