You are not alone

75.5 inches of snow and by the grace of God, WE ARE STILL STANDING!!!!!!!! God blessed our church with another great worship experience as we finished our "BUT GOD" series. This is the first time I am exiting a series with trepidation wondering "Is it really time to leave it"?

The experiences, testimonials and life energy the series has taken on has been transformational for both the pulpit and the pew.

Dealing with the ever-changing landscape of daughters soon to be 14 year old, 12 year old and 10 year old making me wonder Am I really cracked up for this daddy thing??? They were so much easier at 7, 5, and three. Daddy was superman. They loved their daddy and he could do no wrong. Now Daddy is always wrong, never takes the right side, can't quite seem to get it................BUT GOD

I have a deacon whom I love that I constantly thank God for bringing into my life and although I never got the chance to experience a working relationship with him as Pastor and Deacon, I received something better, Dad and son.....and yet I received news that he is joining the legion of many that deals with the battle of  cancer, specifically prostate cancer......I had no words except BUT GOD!!

I have an amazing sister in Christ who I inherited when her amazing father Dr. Aaron A Jackson, Jr adopted me as his son in the ministry. I have said more time than I can count, Dr. A. Glenn Woodberry birthed me into ministry but Dr. Jackson gave me life. My sister always says she was the boy in the family until I came along. Our bond is unique...only to discover she joined the fight with cancer as well, fighting breast cancer, didn't know what to do, how to act, couldn't even really breathe when I heard the news, I could only say...BUT GOD!!

I have the potentially awesome opportunity to follow in the shoes of a great Moderator  Dr. Marion J. Johnson, Jr. who lead our District Association very well. Many pastors and leaders are encouraging me to step up. I feel the call of God and yet must admit, I see the challenges that lie ahead. Trying to make our Districts, State and National Conventions relevant to the needs of the people, matching the moment with the medium so that is more about ministry than money......it's necessary and I applaud and support whomever God chooses to lead this movement.............BUT ME.... I can't do it...............BUT GOD.

I pray for you. Yes You!! for whatever reason that brought you to this blog on this day, I pray for you! I simply want you to know YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

There is a chapter in Hebrews called the Heroes Hall of Fame found in chapter 11. Some of the Bible's best characters live here. We always have held this chapter up as people with great faith but actually this chapter is God's way of saying whatever you have gone through, someone else has been there and survived because they had a BUT GOD moment.

Whether Abel or Enoch, Noah or Abraham, whether Sarah, Issac or Jacob or even Joseph, Moses, or Joshua, a prostitute like Rahab or a man who couldn't leave prostitutes alone like Sampson and other names that time doesn't let us delve into, there is someone who has gone through what you are going through and God brought them out.

Don't lose heart and Don't lose hope. Hope is the fuel that drives your faith. It is the object on where your faith lies. It is why we used to sing My hope is Built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus' name, On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.

If Satan can kill your hope, he can derail your faith because Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. If my faith is derailed my witness becomes dysfunctional because without Faith it is impossible to please God, and therein lies our shout, because he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek 
him.

There is a BUT GOD statement for your situation if you believe and trust in God.School taught me that citing the source changes plagiarism to scholasticism. Let me cite the source that gave me hope to Keep the faith. Thank you for reading this blog. Be encouraged!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Tony Evans defines Faith as this "Faith is acting like it is so even when it is not so in order that it will be so simply because God said so!!