"Where are we headed?"
"I don't know, but we're making great time!"

     That is one of my favorite lines from a really lack-luster movie that's not even worth mentioning. It seems to be, though, an abiding principle in modern Church.

"Effective"

    That seems to be the word. Is this Church effective? Is this program, ministry, minister, committee, style, strategy, couch, shrubbery, or countertop effective?
It seems to be a worthwhile question, and a worthwhile goal doesn't it? ... Buuuut... Effective in doing what? Effective to what end? Effectiveness kind of depends on our level of control and responsibility does it not?  To give you a hint on where I'm going with this you may want to consult my previous post entitled, "The Illusion of Progress."

     For years serving in different congregations "effective" seemed to be the ever-present measure of ministry; the question always asked of me and the ministry I was leading. It's strange that we would spend so much time asking the question without ever defining the term.

We may not know where we're going, but we sure are effective at getting there!

    So, Church, as an answer to all the questions I have received in my short decade of ministry - I have... Some questions for you. Not one particular church, or congregation, or specific leader or movement - I simply have some questions I wish to throw out to the Church of Jesus, and see what people think.

     I happen to be embroiled in this crazy conspiracy to make the Gospel known and see God glorified. I have the audacity to call it a Church. "Church" is on my mind cause I'm in the process of leading one.

Some of these questions have answers, some don't.

Let's see what sticks to the fridge?
(I like my Truth al dente)

Was the worship service ever intended to be an evangelical tool?

- Meaning: was the worship service intended to be a primary means of telling people about Christ?

What proof is there that theological and doctrinal depth intimidates and frightens non-believers/visitors/seekers?

- Do people visit churches looking for the familiar, or the new and different? (seems to me if you are a "seeker", you are seeking something you don't already have)

...a sermon from the archives. From time to time I am going to post a sermon that comes from the vault of messages I have delivered over the years. Today's selection is all about the Gospel. How is it that some people respond to the Gospel the first time they here it - and some have heard it for years and are still cold? 

New link coming soon

1 Peter 3:15

 “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”

    I think it seems pretty obvious... but what is the first thing required for us to fulfill the hope of this Scripture? What would short circuit this idea before it even begins? What is the ultimate prerequisite here? Question: can you share something that you do not have? As I used to say to my sister in 1987, "No Doy!" Of course you can’t. We must first actually HAVE the hope that Peter is asking us to be ready to defend.

    But yet, some of the people most ready to go fisticuffs with someone over some issue pertaining to Jesus - are about to start trowing punches over something they don’t even possess.

God doesn’t need defenders of facts - he desires proclaimers of hope. Is it in you?

But from where does this hope come? Elsewhere, Peter says that we have a "living hope."

1 Peter 1:3-9 3 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

A real living hope is one that is always present. Always alive - and is not contingent on circumstances. Does your relationship with Christ plant in you THAT kind of hope? That is the hope of Christ, the good news, and the Gospel.

Pray

For the Glory of God,

Tommy

    Yesterday I left us hanging on the precipice of bad news. The Gospel is Good News, FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IT. The harsh reality is that there IS NO good news for the one who is not in Christ. 

    But for those who do know Jesus, the good news starts - and doesn't quit. 

So, let's have it. The good news is, "but God"

Ephesians 2:4-9 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

    Two (of the limitless) points of the Good News contained here are as simple as they are able to get me in trouble. First, we have to see the good news that we were "made alive". We did not make OURSELVES alive. We accept the offer of life, sure, but it is something that God does, initiates, purposes, wills, and chooses to do. The reason this news is good, is "so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace."              

    Our salvation is ultimately about, and for, the glory of Jesus. Not us. What if eternity was about US? On the surface that might sound fantastic - but - you know you... you know ALOT about you. Would it really be good news if the purpose of Eternity was to put on display for all existence to see EVERY aspect of who you are? Think about it - having your heart dissected and projected on the walls of Heaven for all the redeemed and the Angels to behold for... ever. Every deed, every thought, every motivation, every bit of who you are. That would not be good news. At all. The Good News is that Eternity is about putting Christ on display - and God purposed that glory of the grace of Jesus Christ be the wall paper of heaven. So he poured out grace to all believers, for his son, not us. That is good news because we get to be a canvas of grace. 

I have been listening to a hymn lately. The words are the Good News.

How deep the Father's love for us,

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the chosen One,

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that left Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything

No gifts, no power, no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom

Pray

For the Glory of God,

Tommy

A Daily Bible Study.

It is something that I have preached about and extolled the virtues of for YEARS. Is it an area of struggle for me? Yes. Do I feel a bit like a hypocrite? Yes. (Especially because I always make fun of people for asking and answering their own questions.) Will I stop? Yes. I hope that this will actually be a way to hold me accountable to my ever-present hope to be in the Word every day. If I charge myself with the responsibility in leading all of you in a daily study of the Word, I will have no choice but to follow through.

Every day, probably late, I will post a Bible study for the next day. What can I say? I'm a night guy. Well, I guess I could say... "I'm a night-guy." There, I said it. Now, for those who have actually been following my long-winded ramblings on sovereignty, purpose, and personal calling, you might be thinking that you don't have time for a daily "Tommy Tome". You would be correct. I don't have the time either. What I have in mind is somewhere far north of a Kitten Calendar with Philippians 4:13 on every page  - and far south of "Chicken Soup for the Brevity Impaired Soul"

Five minutes.

We'll read a passage, you can read my thoughts, and then seek God. Simple.

Every week or so... I'll still tap the fire hydrant of pent up rants and ruminations - but I think a daily walk through the Word would be a blessing. This first week... Let's start with something light. The Gospel. That's a simple enough idea.

Gospel

It’s a word that we have all heard - but do we truly know what it means? Is "The Gospel" the part of the Bible where Jesus asks us to pray a special prayer and LET him save us? (Hint: That's not in the Bible) Is it the part of the sermon when the preacher tells a really gut-wrenching story that makes you feel all emotional when he crescendos with Jesus dying on the cross? You know what? GOD is the Gospel. God IS the Gospel. God is the GOSPEL. The word Gospel actually means "Good News" - and that is that first question we HAVE to answer for ourselves. Do we find the life, message, accomplishments, heart, and character of Christ to be Good News? If we don’t really understand whether or not - or even how the Gospel of Christ could BE good news - then how in the world do we hope to share it? Share what? Has anybody ever said, “agggwh! This is awful - here, you taste it!”? Many times that is what keeps us from boldly sharing Christ - sometimes I wonder; are we actually convinced the Good News should really be shared? This week will hopefully challenge you.

1 Timothy 1: 15-16

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Paul is writing a letter to his younger brother in the faith, disciple, and personal charge - Timothy (hence the name of the book). Paul always starts his letters with a different perspective on the Gospel with each opening. Here, Paul is affirming the fact that he had not done ANYTHING to deserve what Christ had given him. Quite to the contrary Paul is offering himself as THE prime example of the most beautiful aspect of The Gospel of Christ - GRACE. Paul is reminding Timothy that he is proof that God gives his children exactly the opposite of what they deserve. Because we all deserve death. Contrary to what every one grows up believing - we are not born deserving life. We are not even born "Children of God." Indeed, as Paul states in Ephesians 2:3, we are born "children of wrath."

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 

I am going to avoid the temptation to let you off the hook of bad news. Remember, the Gospel is GOOD NEWS. How can we fully grasp the gravity of the good news, if we first don't fully steep in the BAD NEWS? That is what I want us to do - until tomorrow. There IS good news. VERY good news. We'll begin to open that present tomorrow.

Pray.

For the Glory of God,
Tommy

In 1 Corinthians 11:1 the Apostle Paul says, 

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." 

So Paul urges us to follow him -and I don't think he meant on Twitter. What an odd thing for me, or anyone to hope for; asking for others to "follow." Who does Paul think he his? Who do I think I am? TommyShelton.com? What? It seems to be the exact opposite of what I have preached over the years. Jesus is the focus of all existence. Not me, him. I think in pictures and scenes- this is what I am picturing now.; Jesus, enthroned. Glorious to behold. There, in the back corner of the throne room is this little petulant kid making balloon animals demanding attention!

"Hey everybody, if great blogs were failed collectivist Utopias, TommyShelton.com would be The European Union!" 

Well, let's look back at Paul. He said, in essence, "follow me BECAUSE I follow Christ." In other words, Christ is the aim. He is the goal. Paul didn't put himself out there as someone to be followed, just to gain followers - he hoped to emulate and illuminate CHRIST as THE one to be followed. To make the name of Jesus famous - to be used of God for CHRIST to have followers. He hoped to be invisibly unmissable.

God puts us in places, in times, with other people. People are called to lead, and be lead. I have mentors. I have teachers. I have several men that I open my mind and heart to learn from. Why is that? It is because I trust that what they have to say, and the way they lead is in following the example of Christ, and listening to the Holy Spirit. I would not follow just a person, but i will follow Christ through a person. 

There is a motto of the Moravian Church (the denomination I grew up in) that reads,"Vicit Agnus Noster Eum Sequamur" Which is Latin for "Our Lamb has conquered, let us follow Him." No follower of Christ should ever be so foolish as to claim to be worthy of being followed. Yet, there are some that are so confident in what THE LORD has done IN them, that they want the Lord to continue to work THROUGH them- and they want other people to be a part of it. 

Ephesians 4: 11-16

"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."

I am a man with very real faults and weaknesses. My personal fave is that I sometimes feel like a motion sick pendulum swinging between loathing and pride; a sachet of arrogance steeping in self disgust in a tea cup of irony. (wow, Tommy, maybe you shoud see a counselor)

But I'm alive, because I was made alive.  Jesus never promised ease, he never promised that we would'nt spend a few trips back and forth on The pendulum. Jesus promised life. And life is what God has called me to proclaim. And because I'm alive, I can see the joys around me. I can see that every good thing in my life - every blessing - Mara, the kids, friends, breakfast at Eve's - it's all there, and all given by him. Those real joys would be just commodities if I were not alive. Things will collapse under the weight of our expectations - if we are expecting things to bring us life. 

There is only life in The Lamb.

He found me, called out to me, and I followed him. When Jesus asked the Disciples if THEY were going to join the crowd in rejecting him, Peter responded, "where would we go, YOU have the words of eternal life?"  

The world is dying- but God is calling out to, and saving for himself, a people, a flock...

John 10: 10-18

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep... I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."

There are  sheep of the shepherd  everywhere. They are lost, but they don't yet know it. They have a shepherd, but they don't yet know it. They know only death now - but some will soon know life. They will soon know Jesus. I know it - We who are in Christ know it. We know that we were all once lost like them. But we heard the voice of the Shepherd and knew it was the voice we were waiting for. The voice that brought us life.

I was not just saved on purpose - I was saved for a purpose.What I have been resurrected and called to do is proclaim the Gospel - The good news;  Make it known - and see who will be made known.

Honestly, I'm just a farmer chuckin' seeds, and watching what happens. Has it ever struck you just how dumb the farmer seems to be in the Parable of the Sower? (settle down, in the parable Jesus is not the sower - I'm not calling Jesus an idiot)  What idiot plants seeds on a sidewalk then tells his friends, "watch iss, I'ma plantin' me some corn!" Has it also ever occurred to you that the sower just sows? He doesn't water, shine on, shelter, or fertilize - he just wonders around town tossing seeds on everything hoping for a bumper crop. (mental note: video idea) I think there is a reason it's not known as the Parable of the Dirts. "Which soil are you?" is a ridiculous challenge to wash this parable down with - as though soil can will itself to fertility.

The Gospel isn't a "Be the Good Soil" P.R. Campaign. I am not going to have everyone wear dirt colored ribbons to raise awareness. I am not going to make one of those annoying talking head "I Am" commercials; "I... I... I... I am good... I... Am good soil- I am- I am- I- I am good - soil, soil, soil, I am good soil!" Blech. How about; "I- I- I- I will not make - I will not make - I - I - will not  make one of those commercials - if I do... I-I-I - will soil my pants." 

The Gospel is the Devine message by which we proclaim the heart and character of God - and then discern who has ears to hear - NOT who has the will to change their dirt. Nope, it's the parable of the sower, although I humbly submit a name change... just to add a touch of Thunder: The Parable of the Blind-Folded Giddy Idiot Seed Tosser. That pretty much describes my hope: For my life. For my calling. For my Church.

I just want the opportunity to cast the seeds of the Gospel on anyone standing in range. 

Look, this is simple. It's in the Bible. 

Romans 10 (abbreviated)

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved... "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"... faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Work through that text backwards, (John Piper taught me this trick)

- a preacher is sent

- he preaches

- someone hears

- they believe

- they call on the name

- they are saved

What I know is this: I am called to preach. I have been placed here for that purpose. I cannot doubt that. I have tried to leave, I have tried to do other things. It is inescapable - I am a marked man. God has redeemed me, and hand sanctified me to proclaim the glory of the grace of Jesus. He has given me "beautiful feet" and I plan on using those feet to follow Jesus while proclaiming his most awesome Gospel - and because I know that no one is called to serve alone- 

I want you to follow me, as I follow him.

For the Glory of God,

Tommy

Idiot Farmer Gospel Planter

There's a great big beautiful tomorrow,
Shining at the end of every day.
Yes, there's a great big beautiful tomorrow,
And tomorrow is just a day away.

Man has a dream, and that's the start
He follows his dream with mind and heart
And when it becomes a reality,
It's a dream come true for you and me.

Oh there's a great big beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day,
Yes there's a great big beautiful tomorrow - It's just a day away. 

I'm hoping that most of us know where this 'masterpiece' is from. I'll give you a hint; it is the second most mind infecting ear worms ever written. Right around the bend from the hope and change boat ride through the new world order, is Disney's Carousel of Progress". If you've never ridden on this wheel of humanism before - I highly recommend it. It's air conditioned, and great for a nap. 

"Prosecution rests, Your Honor." 

O.K. Lord, I'll go and get a waffle from Eve's

Sometimes the Lord asks us to do really difficult things that war against our flesh and go against the grain of comfort. At other times the Lord asks us to do things that are such a joy that against the backdrop of Christians getting eaten by lions - you're stuck saying, "really? that's all?" I can't help but imagine us believers standing before Jesus on the playground as he picks teams for a rousing match of sovereignty ball; "Missionary... Go get burned alive. Tommy, go... Get a waffle."

As some of you know, I have been fasting for a season. It's been an exercise in obedience and hope that God would speak, and share some of His plan for my life and calling. Fasting is tough. I like to chew. A nightly bowl of cereal is why God invented the process of extruding and puffing corn. But, that's what makes fasting, fasting. (not the corn extruder, denying the desire to feed one's own flesh) There is just something about denying one's self that alines us with Christ. It might just have something to do with the fact that Jesus himself invented not just corn extrusion, but the very act of selflessness. Jesus' entire experience of walking through the womb and into our humble, wretched, non-narnia was one of selflessness. 

After I blabbed his legs off with my never ending ministry sobstory, a youth pastor friend of mine asked me if I would be willing to meet with a friend of his in the Suncoast Baptist association. Apperantly this friend partners with new church plants to help develop pastors and network Kingdom efforts to proclaim the Gospel. Sure, I'd meet with him. Virginal ears that have never heard the ever-unfolding tale of a former former former youth minister named Tommy - yeah, I couldn't pass that up. Surprisingly, he called minutes later, highly motivated to get together and talk. That meeting was the one that most of you were praying over Tuesday morning. 

I'll spare you the play-by-play and cut to the end... But first... Another flashback. 

Sunday night I shared another thought with Mara that I had been struggling with. (cause apparently I gotta be struggling with something. If you ain't strugglin' you're probably snugglin' and serving Jesus aint supposed to be cozy - it's supposed to be hard. It's supposed to be a lifelong commitment to the futon of perpetual obligation, cause you're just a guest in His Father's house anyway. It might be a big, big, house, with lots and lots of rooms - but those rooms are all full of futons. We should just be glad we're not sleeping out in the big, big, yard) So, I tell Mara that I doubt if I really truly love people. (maybe some of you have wondered that as well) Over the last few weeks I've been plagued with doubts about my sincere love for people. If I want to be a pastor, loving people is pretty near the top of the list of prerequisites; along with a love of stories about yourself, and at least one great illustration that you never remember you used a few weeks ago. 

So back to the meeting. It was awesome. Encouraging. Real. This guy laughs a bit at me and tells me he's heard my story a thousand times. What? I'm not a snowflake of ministry pain? I was painfully and blessedly humbled by that (I like to think that I have earned some unique and rare merit badge to sew on my martyr sash - Gives me bragging rights at the conventions.  "OOOO! Tommy, you've got the Hired-Fired-Hired-Fired! That's rare! I'll trade you a Total Lack of Perception Management for it?! Naw, I already have that one too") At the same time though, this amazing sense of encouragement started to grow. "I'm not disqualified". After Billy and I met for about an hour, a dozen or so other guys came in. They were church planters, pastors, lay ministry guys, and Kingdom investors. We proceeded to have the greatest conversation about God's passion and LOVE for the lost, His desire for His Glory to be made known, and just what were planning on doing about it?
I'm looking around the room at all these men; all called, not a single one with all the answers - but every one of them with a single passion - to make Jesus known. This was my thought: "I want in!" my second thought was, "I can't get away from this anyway. It's obvious what God wants me to do."

Preach, shepherd, plant.

As I'm driving in my car, on my way to Damascus- i mean, The Ranch- I'm still a bit buzzed by the unexpected encounter with my fellow pastors --- So, I do what all normal pastors do, and play some music that peels the faces of of puppies. A new band called Hands. Hands is what it would have sounded like had King David not had a harp - but a Hardcore band, and wrote the Psalms for passionate, theologically reformed Braveheart fans. I'm praying, and thinking about all the months of indecision and uncertainty, when these lyrics cut through the noisy contemplance of my heart and mind:    On my knees in the wreckage of a broken church. I couldn't pull it together. How I want to believe that there's a light, at the end of this continuing shadow. And as the feeling disappears, here I am. Are you here? Wake up my son. Wake up my son. Why are you so afraid? Oh God, I'm begging you now! Open up my eyes! I was afraid? I was afraid. The kind of irrational fear that will keep you from opening the closet to prove what you already know... There is no monster. Do I trust that God is sovereign or not? Who do I think I am? Well, all of a sudden I was a man, without fear, and hungry. 

I had shared with the guys a few minutes earlier about wanting a passion for the people around me - and how I should even want to really know my waitress - and for her to know Jesus.   "Go get a waffle from Eve's" .......... "Umm? haha, ok, ok, I'll get a waffle from Eve's"  See, Eve's is this little Resturant right across from our neighborhood. I had brought the High School youth group there every Wednesday evening the summer before last for a Bible study. I had also brought the family there many months ago and had the thought, "I need to know this lady, I need to know my waitress." So, I walk in, seat myself, and with a huge smile order my first diet soda in weeks. It was like a fizzy glass of freedom. Freedom? Freedom. Freedom was the the feeling I was feeling. In that moment, I realized that God was telling me I was free - and I hadn't even yet ordered the Waffle! So, who comes to take my order? Of course, that waitress that had been on my heart. I asked her how she was and the first thing she said was, "I'll never forget you teaching all those kids the Bible. I just think that is the coolest thing." Seriously!? You can't make this stuff up! (unless you are a really cool Baptist church in Albany, Georgia - then you DO make this stuff up, and then all of a sudden I'm on the big screen being played by Mike Seaver in a film called, Facing the Waffles) Well, I thoroughly enjoyed my communion-er-waffle and was walking up to the register when I spotted an older gentleman wearing a Redskins polo. "You think the 'skins will have a good year?" Thirty minutes, heart surgery, a career in Maryland Law enforcement, the problems with the Terrapin offense, and loosing upper teeth later... I'm praying for Earl and sincerely hoping I run into him again.

I saw a vision there at Eve's --- I saw a vision as clear as the display case housing the DONUT Bread Pudding. Eve's is where I am having breakfast three times a week as I study and prepare to know and live the Gospel.  As I began the long drive to the Ranch (crying out to God to reveal himself to, and save Dennis Miller -- true story) I started to feel, for the very first time in what seems to have been a very long time, free. At peace. Bold. Loving. Called. Purposed. Anointed. Equipped. 
This seems like the Genesis of something really powerful. I have no idea what's next - but I have no fear in finding out. What I do know is that I feel like a Pastor again, for the first time. So, other than a lifetime of sanctification, study of Scripture, hard lessons, feast, famine, joy and heartache, all I need is a congregation...

Umm, about that...
Tommy Shelton
Pastor

Family,
In a few minutes I'll be meeting with one of the heads of the Suncoast
Baptist Association. The topic: strategic church planting. Also,
immediately after this meeting I'll be heading back to the Ranch. I
have to finish the Ranch project by late Thursday. I really don't want
to have to come back for Northbay teaching on Friday, only having to
turn right back around and return to the Ranch to finish. Please pray
that I'm able to work swiftly and get everything accomplished. Also
pray that this meeting goes well, and the Lord speaks!


One more thing: I am going to be loosening the reins of my fast over
the next few days in the interest of having the energy to work really
hard. Relying on the Lord is one thing, passing out at the top of a
ladder is another:)

For The Glory Of God

Tommy Shelton
Gospel Planter

Family,
I was led on Monday to send out a 'Word' midweek to serve as an encouragement to us all.

This is me being obedient.

Isaiah 46 9-11
...I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,
declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.

"Sovereignty Project". That is a phrase that popped into my head a couple weeks ago as I contemplated what in the world the Lord was calling me and my family to. (that's proper grammar, right Christie?) I was scraping 42 year old wallpaper off of 42 year old walls and it just hit me. My life right now is a "Sovereignty Project". In due time we will all see what the Lord has in store. We WILL see his sovereign hand at work. Most of the time we only see sovereignty in our rear view mirror, because our vision is so limited, so narrow, so... Right now. There are, though, these blessed exceptions when we somehow KNOW that we are standing in the middle of God building something awesome.

But What is it? Does He just not want to spoil the surprise? For some reason, I love surprises. Love them. But see, I love being the one that is planning the surprise. I love it when I am able to pull off a genuine, out of left field surprise. That is how Ella's hamster got it's name, surprise. I took Ella to the pet store because I had promised her a fish. What she didn't know is that her "fish" was going to be furry, and run in a wheel. I saw the look on her face peering through the aquarium glass at these tiny, distant, and cold decorations. She looked pleased, but I knew what she really wanted... because I am her father.

She did her best to be thankful and appreciative. But, really, fish. How thankful can you be for a fish?

I cannot tell you the joy that was in my heart KNOWING that I was about to surprise her with something that I knew she wanted but wasn't even asking for. When I said, "Ella, do you want Daddy to get you a hamster?" she responded with a forced low-key, "yeah, I mean, someday". It's one of my favorite daddy moments. I wanted to freeze that moment and keep it. I knew that moment would be one that just... stayed. I was so happy to say, "what about now, what if I got you one now?" The feeling that welled up in me, because of her response, is a force that must not fall into enemy hands. It's like a neuro-toxin for daddies. It's the scent of newborn baby noggin wrapped in bacon and placed in the cab of a brand new truck. It was pure joy, her's and mine. Now, its just a hamster - but it's not just a hamster. It was Ella's trust and gratitude for just a fish that moved me.

There are times I have had things planned for my children... But they never happened. Without knowing, the kids ruined it. Behavior. Attitude. Rebellion. It broke my heart.

But here's the thing. God has purposed and planned things from the beginning. He will not be moved. He will not change his mind, he will accomplish what he has purposed. We will not spoil His plan. I have to keep reminding myself of that truth.

So far, during my short 33 years, my biggest fear has been that God HAD great things planned for me. Had.

God has never "Had" a plan for ANYTHING. He HAS a plan for everything. I know not what God has in store exactly - but I know that trusting Him is close to the center of it. I know that trusting in Him is what He wants. I know we are going to be surprised - and that even the surprise will be surprising - so I'm just going to trust. And fast. And pray. And attempt to continue being patient.

I know that God has something more for me than scraping fish -I mean- wallpaper and that he has an awesome hamster -I mean- ministry for me. But for right now, I'm going to be grateful for what is swimming the the aquarium in front of me.

There are other times that I can't help but let slip that I have a surprise - that drives my kids nuts! They want hints, they want clues, they want to just know. Its actually quite fun watching them flail around in wonder, guessing what it must be.

I think that's pretty much what i'm doing right now. It must be an entertaining sight for a God that stands outside of time. I am not sure what it is, But I know I know God has a surprise for me. Us. And I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS!

So, the Project part of the "Sovereignty Project" is what happens right now - it's what we are doing right now. How do we stand in the middle of something that we know the Lord is doing, but not lose our minds trying to figure out what it is?

That is the project.
That is the challenge. 

Right now my chosen method for waiting is the ultimate in maturity - I'm holding my breath until God tells me. I saw a kid in a movie try this one time and it worked. I used to literally hold my breath in Bible Studies until one of those clammed up students opened their face and said something. So, my fasting... Pretty much me just holding my breath till I turn blue (or just really hungry). He might tell me, or maybe He won't. Maybe He's letting me writhe a bit, knowing that it will just add to the joy of the surprise?

Join me in prayer. Join me in a fast. Join me in waiting eagerly on the Lord.

I don't think we could even guess what He has planned.

In Christ,
Your Freelance Gospel Planter,
Tommy