In Everything Give Thanks - Even with Covid-19?

 

I Thessalonians 5:18 is a go-to verse in the Bible to challenge us to be thankful. The verse simply says, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." Usually this time of year, people make lists or do some kind of Thanksgiving count down on Facebook. It is always good to be thankful but this Thanksgiving it takes on a special meaning after being diagnosed with Covid-19. 

My usual schedule has been horribly disrupted. Our church has a large Thanksgiving celebration that I usually host. Our children all make Thanksgiving the holiday where they all come home. As you can guess that has all been canceled for us. The Bible clearly helps us see that in the midst of disappointment, we can still be thankful because it is all a part of God's plan. 

Here are five things that I am thankful for on Wednesday, November 25th, 2020.  

I am thankful that my symptoms have been mild. I have seen and heard of how this virus takes a different path for each individual. I have had friends who have lost their lives from this monster. Others are presently in the hospital on ventilators. Some people have struggled to get back to normal activities again and have lost their taste and smell.

This has not been my story. I have been asymptomatic for the most part. I did lose my sense of smell for a couple of days with a stuffy nose. What a blessing! I do not take this lightly. Knowing what others are experiencing, while not suffering has humbled me. It has caused me to pray. People with Covid-19 are on my mind continuously and I pray for them daily. 

I am thankful that my family's symptoms have been mild. My wife and two of my three daughters have also contracted Covid. For the most part, we have had mild symptoms and short bouts with this virus. We are all on the mend and will be able to start regular life again by week's end. Health should not be taken for granted. If you have your health, you should regularly thank God for this blessing. Sometimes we forget to do that.  

I am thankful for all my friends and family members that have reached out. I have been encouraged by all the emails and texts that I have received. Many people have expressed that they are praying for us and have offered words of encouragement. I am once again reminded that the best life a person can lived is one with friends and family. Our church is an amazing place. It is not a "one hour experience" with all the smoke and whistles but rather a community of people who mutually care for and share with one another. I would not trade these relationships for anything. 

I am thankful for all the expressions of kindness and support. We have had people drop by gift cards, homemade chicken noodle soup, fresh bakery bread, cold crisp grapes, encouraging cards, fruit baskets, specialty coffee, and Village Inn peach pie. This has made us feel special and favored. I am blown away by the love and support that our friends and family have shown to us. It is sometimes the simple things that we fail to give thanks for. Acts of kindness do not go unnoticed. This is a week where a lot of kindness will be shown. Do not forget to give thanks.

I am thankful I did not have to quarantine alone. One of the silver linings of this quarantine for me is that I have gone through it with my family. I am grateful that we have been able to be together and in the same rooms. We have taken full advantage of the opportunity. Game nights have become a nightly ritual. Playing a different game each night has fanned the flame of competition amongst the three of us. Watching tv, movies, and even documentaries have proved to knit us together. Special foods, coffee, and treats have created conversations about what sounds good next. Life is not meant to be lived alone. I am thankful that I live in a home where there is a lot of love and relationship.

Yes, I have a lot to be thankful for even with Covid-19.

Quincy, Illinois..... A Great Place to Be

 

Quincy, Illinois is a great place to live. Moving to our new home 17 years ago was frightening for our young family of six. We soon found out why it had retained the name the Gem City. I think the three things that stand out most to me are the 3 P's.

People We have been able to establish many lifelong friendships during our time here. These individuals took us in from the very beginning and have been a support to our family through each season. People from the midwest are hard-working, honest, and caring. This has given us a place to point our children to for examples to look up to.  These people are in every sector of the community, from educators to farmers, from doctors to mechanics and everything in between.

Proximity Quincy is the most well laid out community I know. My life is not spent in a car or in long lines of traffic. You can be anywhere in Quincy in ten minutes. For a person who is incredibly time conscious, I save hours a week simply by not being tied up in traffic. The city is so well laid out. It is easy to navigate, with many main arteries that connect key locations from all four directions. The forefathers even got the naming of the streets right, providing easily remembered patterns.  

Park systems Anyone who has lived in Quincy for any time, realizes that the park system is outstanding. The park district has so much to offer families and individuals. Walking trails, playgrounds, and ball fields are in abundance. Quincy has made a large investment in its infrastructure and the citizens are the benefactors.

These are just a few things that stand out to me. Quincy is a special place. I would encourage you to look at the city through the lens of gratitude. 

Black Hills and/or Bust COVID-19

I want you to consider a Blackhills vacation this year!
COVID-19 has altered every part of most of our lives even vacation. I put in for a two-week vacation back in February. We had our usual plans lined up and were looking forward to some time on the beach. As the days drew near, Lisa and I began to have second thoughts about traveling. I knew that staying in Quincy was not a good idea. Ministry has a way of creeping into everyday life when you just hang around.

 On our first day of vacation, we still did not know where we were going. We began our road trip south to St. Louis. By the time we stopped for a visit to see our son and his family, we knew we would need to change directions. Everything on the radio was shouting that the south was filling up with new COVID cases. 
After an overnight stay, We decided to head north. That decision did not disappoint! We had been following where the virus had least effected states and we felt confident that our time out west would be the wisest. 
By the time we made it to South Dakota, the plan started to unfold. Getting an out of state fishing license was one of the first priorities. Our stop at the Rapids City Cabela's offered everything we needed to have success on the lake. The representative gave great advice and the proper equipment to land some fish. 

Without any reservations, we were able to find lodging along the way each evening. We were able to visit the Badlands, Mt Rushmore, Devil's Tower (Wyoming), and explore the entire Black Hills with all the quaint towns such as Deadwood, Lead, Sturgis, Spearfish, Hot Springs, Custer, Hill City, and Keystone. 

Each town provided opportunities to sightsee, shop, and eat. There was plenty of room to navigate without exposure to COVID-19. We enjoyed time on the trails and by the shores of three impressive lakes. I was able to fish on Pactola, Sheridan, and Roubaix lakes. They offered amazing shoreline fishing with Trout, Blue Gill, and Small Mouth Bass.

The highlight of the trip was our stay at Spearfish Canyon Lodge in Savoy, South Dakota. It was a beautiful facility nestled in the mountains of the Black Hills. There were two falls within walking distance. Spearfish Falls and Roughlock falls were picturesque with plenty of photo opportunities.

The lodge also had a full-scale restaurant on property that we visited a few times and were not disappointed. This property would be great for couples and families alike. Rental of UTV'S, bikes, and fishing equipment was readily available.

I know that many are looking for someplace to go and I thought it would be helpful to make this suggestion. Beat COVID in the Black Hills this summer!

A Perfect Time for Your Church to Grow

I tend to see opportunity at the strangest times and in the weirdest ways. If you read the news or follow the commentators, you would think that we just exited anything good to happen forever. It is hard for me to swallow the gloom and doom pill. Especially, when people just sit around and talk about how bad it is and do nothing to make it better.

Here are 5 simple ways I've seen an opportunity and capitalized on it during this time. 

1. People are connecting in small group settings. Our church leadership had recently decided that we needed a robust small group ministry that would include all of our members. Our goal was to have 75% participation by the end of 2022. With Covid-19, we are now developing and implementing a full-on small group initiative for care and connection. We see this season to connect our church like never before. People are seeing the benefits and blessings of coming together to share in fellowship with one another. 

2. Our community is caring for real and felt needs. We are experiencing many real needs in and out of our fellowship. Spiritual sickness is real. Many have developed poor habits. They aren't spiritually being fed or having their families fed. We are taking every advantage to meet people where they are and create ways for them to nourish their souls. Many will slip through the cracks if not careful. We must make sure that you are attentive not only to who is showing up but those who are not.

3. Lay leaders are leading.  I believe this could be one of the greatest benefits of Covid-19. I see a tremendous opportunity for lay leaders young and old to step up in their leadership. We are now seeing more deacon care and connection than any time in the recent past. Decisions are being made with clarity and decisiveness. We have seen that urgency has prioritized ministry and decisions that were once challenging are no longer. Watching our deacons caring for their groups has been encouraging. People need to be reassured that they are cared for.  

4. We are changing what needed to be changed. It has been interesting to see how people navigate change. Some people are paralyzed by it, while others thrive when it happens. One thing that I have learned through Covid-19 is that we were headed in the right direction..... just at the wrong pace. Most change can happen quickly, but the thing that slows it down is the mental, emotional state of those experiencing the change. Our church has embraced the changes and we are creating new ministry initiatives daily. 

5. Focus on reaching out. We have initiated ways for our people to reach out to others. We have created a prayer network that ladies sign up for on an hourly basis. We are sharing sermons and devotional through watch parties, going on prayer walks, and creating care packages. This is just a few of the things we are implementing. 

 

The key is that people engage with other people. 
 

5 Must do's in light of Covid 19

By now most people have adapted to the new normals of COVID 19. I am presently finishing my third plastic model kit and starting my third book. Every project that I set out to do at the beginning of the year is complete. Many of my friends have sorted, organized and downsized every storage area they have. We all are finding ways to fill time, but are we taking advantage of this opportunity to make some major adjustments in our lives? Here are five must-dos as life goes back into full swing.

1. Tighten up your Finances 
Dave Ramsey was right! Many people have argued with his basic premise and financial advice. Those that agree with him often find themselves living much different then what he prescribed. Did you have six months of expenses saved up before COVID 19? Are you in debt? Did you feel the pressure of this crisis? I suggest that you curtail spending and begin a rigorous savings plan so that you are prepared for the next crisis that comes your way. Our family has been able to cut expenses significantly simply by eating all our meals from home. Make a plan and then work the plan.

2. Make wise use of your Time 
You have the same amount of time that you had before this crisis. Now you have the opportunity to use those minutes, hours and days in a much more meaningful way. I have noticed all the time that I used before the crisis on things that simply don't matter and have no redeeming value. A person would probably think that more time is given to entertainment media and social media during a pandemic. I have found the opposite to be true. My life is becoming much richer by using time for activities that are far more beneficial. Reading, thinking, and learning new things during the crisis have inspired me to use the time I have been given for God's glory. I have always found that living my life beats watching someone live theirs. Live all the minutes of your life.

3. Strengthen close Relationships 
My children are around the house again. They are all young adults but due to the Coronavirus, they are back in the nest. We have had a wonderful time bonding. Playing games, eating special meals, making videos and doing projects. Having our children back home again has given Lisa and I a new appreciation for the closeness we experience as a family. If you are not reminded of the fact that the most important people in your life are right in front of you, then now is the time to start leaning into those relationships. Don't replace busyness for the family time ever again.

4. Reestablish your Priorities
The things that mean the most tend to show up the most during difficult days. Think of all the things that were priorities two months ago that now that barely make any conversation. Entertainment, in general, has been way oversold. It makes a few people rich and keeps a lot of people poor. Sports are enjoyable to watch, but I cannot get all the hours back that I have wasted watching marginal, insignificant athletic contests that do not compete with the stated-above experiences. Travel, I love to travel, but even travel is taking on a new reality for me. Life is short and precious. Make the most of your top priorities. Do the most important thing first and if you have time for a concert, game, or adventure then by all means enjoy!

5. Embrace the Change 
Embrace the change. The world will never be like it was after this life-altering crisis. You will see hundreds of ways that your life will be different. Don't get caught up in the shock of change; but rather, embrace the parts that can make your life more meaningful and rich. There will be new opportunities to learn and grow both at home and in the workplace.

Are You Listening?

Wow! I am experiencing a once in a lifetime event just like all of you. I have questions that run through my mind like, (Where is this all leading ? When will it be over? and How is my life gonna change?) These are just a few of the many questions that I ask regularly.

Has God captured your attention yet? Through this process of life coming to a screeching halt, we are left with time: time to hear, time to listen to God. Psalm 19 is perfect for such a time as this. David identifies two ways that God reveals Himself to mankind. He also exhorts the reader to respond to the Lord by cleansing our way, we become acceptable in His sight.

We see in the first six verses that God has revealed Himself to us through creation. We call this general revelation. Often life is so crazy that we miss looking, seeing the majesty of God through His handy work. Verse three states that "there is no speech, nor are there words;  Their voice is not heard." Every day and all the time we can enjoy and experience the glory of God.

If you have found yourself paralyzed with fear or uncertainty, it is time to get outside. It is time to take a walk, time to start your garden, time to plant some flowers. I have always enjoyed my time in God's creation. Hunting and fishing have been great opportunities to slow down and observe God's handiwork.

David takes the next five verses to demonstrate the value and importance of the scriptures. God reveals himself through the written words of the Bible. There are incredible benefits for those who listen and heed the directives God gives. The Bible restores our soul. It rejoices the heart. It enlightens our eyes.

It is more valuable than gold and sweeter than honey. David tells us that by keeping His commands there is great reward. So are you listening? There are few, if any, excuses not to be driven to the scriptures during this time.  Amazingly, the scriptures speak to every situation that we face in this life, even Covid-19.  May I encourage you to open your Bible today and begin to discover or rediscover the power of God's words.

The last three verses are a call for cleansing. God has spoken and is still speaking. Are we listening? If we are listening, we will let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in His sight.

Pastors in Crisis - Covid-19

I walked into the door of my home and the rant began, "Why is that game out? Why are there dishes in the sink? Girls, can't we keep this area in order?" Silence........... All three scrambled off to their rooms. The house was quiet. No one was within a mile of me. I headed down to the basement to decompress.

It was not long before my wife came downstairs. "The girls are upset. They don't understand why you are so short. You need to talk with them." At first, I responded as my regular resistant self but as I started to think through it, I softened. (You may not know this, but the daughters I am speaking of are all young adults.) These ladies are mature, very kind-hearted and engaged.

The next morning I called a family meeting. I began with an apology. They quickly forgave me like hundreds of times in the past. I began to unpack my frustrations and pressures from this crisis. Once I was able to get it out and share it with them, the stress started to go away. I asked my daughters to pray for me. Once again, we were partnering in ministry together as we had done many times before.

Reflecting on what happened this Monday, I felt that it would be a good time to appeal to you to pray for your pastor. I have learned how to get out of some of my emotional junk through the twenty-eight years of ministry, but I am here to say that the best out there still have feet of clay and were not prepared for this.

I watched one guy online the other evening appeal for offerings for his church. He looked like he was in pain. I could sense his stress building. I could sense the pressure he was experiencing. The reality is that no pastor was prepared for the events of this week. Most of us did not sign up to be an online, cookie-cutter speaker. It is quite the opposite for most. Living in the world of tv screens and video lenses is terribly uncomfortable. (Try looking at yourself in the mirror for fifteen minutes, talking to yourself!)

Here are a few things to do for your pastor this week.

1. Pray for him. You can pray that he will do the very things he is asking and encouraging you to do. It is an easy thing to do! (Don't do as I do, do as I say.) You can also pray that he will find rest during the storm. I know several guys who are not sleeping well.

2. Encourage him. Use words, texts, memes, and notes to encourage. Support what he is doing, and thank him for the effort he is putting in to be an effective shepherd. I know our staff has worked harder in the last two weeks than any other time I have seen in my years of being a pastor.

3. Don't be critical. We are all incredibly self-conscious in these moments. Most pastors can't compete with TV church. Keep the correct perspective. This is an opportunity for the church to realize that the meat and bones of true community is interpersonal connectivity. Be a grace dispenser, not a digital commando.

What to Talk to Your Children about Through Covid-19

I can remember some awkward moments explaining reproduction to my son. He was looking for me to give him direction. I did the best I could, using the least amount of details, yet giving the basic outline. I think that the age-old adage "answer to their satisfaction" could be in play.  It is important to speak regularly with your children about what is going on in the world and how it affects them. Covid -19 provides unique challenges to talk to your children regularly. Here are three points to remember.

1. We serve a sovereign God. Sovereignty simply means that God is in control. We believe that the Bible teaches that God is in control all the time. This has a calming, assuring and focusing effect on people. Proverbs 15:3 tells us that "the eyes of the Lord are in every place," and that "whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.

I would suggest turning to passages like Colossians 1:16-17 which states, "He is before all things and in Him all things hold together." and Romans 8:28 "we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God." These are verses of assurance concerning who is in control over this world.

2. We are not to be afraid. Explaining to your children some of the life-altering events that you have been afraid of may prove to be comforting. I have been through several things that have had devastating effects on my journey. Take the time to sit down and talk through fear. Where does it come from and how do you grow in faith when fear overcomes you?

Use verses such as Psalms 56:3 which states, "when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you". I find Philippians 4:6-7 to be particularly helpful. It tells us to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

Remember that fear does not come from God but rather from the evil one. II Timothy 1:7 states, "for God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."

3. We are to make the most of every opportunity to use our time for God. Ephesians 5:15-17 helps us know how to live in days like these. Paul says, "therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time because the days are evil." You can encourage your children to make the most of this opportunity through spending time with God and family.

There are countless ideas on how to grow closer to God. I would start by engaging in family devotions. This can be a time where you grow closer to God and one another.

I recently spoke on the topic. You can see it online at www.columbusroad.org to hear more.

Opportunities During the Coronavirus

Okay, it is time to write out some thoughts I have been having over the last few days.

 I have sat in on my share of emergency meetings, discussions, and cancellations this week. I just had to inform a college soccer team that their spring season has been majorly altered. Many have expertise in these kinds of areas and I have learned a lot in a very short amount of time. I am not going to talk about hoarding toilet paper or sanitation practices. What I would like to write about is the opportunities right before your eyes. So here we go... 5 opportunities during the coronavirus.

1. This is an opportunity for your family to slow down. Living life at a breakneck speed should not be an issue any longer. Everything is being canceled and for a long time. Never in my life have we been able to push the reset button. No excuses now, it is an opportunity to get your marriage, family, faith, and free time back!! Amazing.

2. It is an incredible opportunity to spend family time. All the things you have been wanting to do can now happen. Game nights, eating together, learning something new, household projects, can all be family building exercises. Most people should be incredibly happy that they will be spending more time together. Is this true of you?

3. Your children can be children and learn to "just play".  Sending your child to go play in the back yard is a thing of the past. I am optimistic that people will go back to "old school" ing it and encourage and teach them how to play. This would be a great time to have a media fast. Who knows how this event could reset our culture!!

4. It is an opportunity to purge from the addiction to sports.  In my opinion, "sport" has replaced a lot of the top priorities in life. Marriage, family, friendship, church are often replaced for the priority of being entertained by a sporting event. People may start to see that watching someone live their life isn't as good as living their own.

5. It is an opportunity to reject fear and trust in God. No one gets out of this life alive. This is a fact. Living a life of fear is so exhausting. This is an opportunity for you to trust God for your life now and in for eternity.

There are many more opportunities that I am thinking about but here is five for now.

When a Plan Comes Together

November 6th 

Most dreams do not go as planned. Occasionally, everything goes as scripted. This is a short story about when a plan comes together. The story started last November when my friend Jason Althide and I began to talk about the 2019 hunting season. The conversation went as you may have guessed. We spoke of stand placement and additional stands. We also briefly discussed adding a food plot.

Winter came and went.  Spring came and went. Summer started and we had not gotten around to doing much. Jason works for an auction company and they were auctioning off hunting equipment. This proved to be the motivation we needed to dial up a plan.

Jason picked up a platform stand with a swivel chair at the auction. We went out and bought two two man stands and a couple of bags of seed. It was not long before we had our plot plowed up and ready to seed. The plot lay between a a corn field and a tight grouping of pine trees. Jason strategically placed our new two man stand in the center of the grove of trees.

Cozy Spot

On a warm July evening after dark, we spread a mix of clover, radish and rye grass in our 40 yard by 40 yard food plot. Immediately we became excited about the potential of this spot. It was only natural for us to put in a trail cam and begin to do some surveillance on our new found honey hole.

We consistently were capturing pictures of deer on the trail cam. Does regularly found their way to the plot for a mid-night snack. It was not until late September when we began to see mature bucks show up.  We captured three mature bucks in one photo and to say the least we were pumped about the prospects.

As it rolled into October, we began to strategize how we would hunt the food plot. Jason and I decided not to hunt the food plot stand til late October. Jason went in first and harvested a doe. I had not even thought of bow hunting the stand, believing it would be best to hunt it during gun season. My rational was that it would be a great source for a post harvest food source. 

On November 6th, I decided to make a quick evening hunt at our new hunting spot. I climbed up the stand later than I wanted to. It was three thirty and only a couple of hours to hunt. Once I got situated, I decided to pull out my grunt call. After a couple of blows, I sat quiet. It could not have been ten minutes before I heard something coming in behind me but because of the pines, I could not see a thing. 

Within forty minutes of sitting down, I could see an 8 point buck entering the food plot. He kept his head down all the way into shooting range. At twenty two yards broadside, my Crosspoint did its job.

I hit him pretty good. I felt like it was a lung shot. He jumped and turned into the pines where he ran fifty yards and crashed. I immediately called my hunting buddy Jason. He came and helped me pull him out of woods and bring him back to the food plot for a quick photo op. 

I couldn't believe it, everything went as planned. First time in the food plot and an 8 point buck was harvested. Sometimes plans do come together!!!