This past Sunday I began a series of lessons on Nehemiah, with the emphasis of taking the lessons we learn from him as he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem; and applying them to revitalizing and renewing the Prairie Grove church. I have preached on Nehemiah in the past, but never with this kind of emphasis. It has a lot of excellent preaching points on leadership and building a church, but this church, at this time, needs a different emphasis. Now, the church may need a different emphasis because the preacher needs a different emphasis. That is true, many times — we, preachers, preach what we need.
I think the motivation for this series of sermons is a new blog that I am reading faithfully, that has become one of my very favorites. Karl Vaters has a blog called Pivot, that focuses on how to be a successful, small church. In the present culture, a small church is most of the time considered to be a failure, if not sinful. That kind of mindset affects the morale of a church, and the faith of individual members. Vaters is trying to offer, what I believe to be, a Biblical alternative to that kind of thinking. His last entry closed with these words: If I am faithful, God may sometimes bring numbers, but he will always bring health. I’m learning to be okay with that. Because healthy matters more than big. (Amen?)
For the last 3 weeks, I have been challenging the members to get involved with this idea: As part of the sermon series on “Nehemiah“, I would like for you to think about, and write down, what your dream for this church is. What your vision for this church looks like! There is only one stipulation, you can’t use numbers! I’m not looking for someone to say 125 in Bible classes and 150 in the assembly, or anything else along those lines. I want you to think deeper than that. How do you view the purpose of this church, and, in your opinion, what is the best way to implement that purpose into reality. This will not be something that I think you can sit down and scratch out in 5 minutes. It’ll be something that takes some time and thought,
*************
As I age, more and more of my friends are struggling with health problems. That is the natural order of things I suppose, but that does not make it any easier. We have several in the church at Prairie Grove that are struggling with health problems, disease, and aging. This week I have had 3 friends that are struggling with serious health problems.
Tabatha Patrick, who I worked with at Arkansas Insulation for a number of years, has had to put her husband, Lynn, in hospice care at the Willard Walker Hospice Center. Lynn, has fought valiantly against brain cancer for the last two years, but his body is finally giving out.
Dan Holland, was a very important friend to me when I was the preacher at the Cedar Grove church in Rogersville, Alabama; and, he is having some very serious heart problems. They tried to place a stent, but it did not work — so the options are surgery or medication. Neither one of those are ideal, but surgery seems to be the best. He will meet with the surgeon early next week, to make the necessary plans.
Kim James, the wife of Larry James, has a history with brain aneurysms (as does her family), and they have found two more, recently. She will be going to Little Rock to meet with the specialists next week.
I would ask that all of you that are reading this, please join with me in praying for these special people.
*************
Shopping for clothes can be FRUSTRATING! Since March, not only have I lost 90 pounds — but I have lost 12″ in the waist, and dropped 4 shirt sizes. Well, I could not afford to buy a new wardrobe every time the sizes that fit, changed. I have become a regular customer at places like Goodwill, Life Ministries, and other second hand shops. It is amazing, but I have bought new clothes (that still had the tags) at these places, for prices that are ridiculously low.
Now, I have never been one to try on clothes at the store (and my wife has fussed at me about that for years), but I have learned that you can never trust what the tag says. This past week, I went to Goodwill and bought 4 long-sleeve shirts — all of them were tagged by the manufacturer as the same size. 2 of them fit perfectly, 1 was a little snug, and the fourth one lacked 2″-3″ even being able to be buttoned. I’m sure that there is a spiritual application that I could make with that, but I don’t know what it is right at the moment!
*************
Regarding the continuing journey of my weight loss, I have had very few, if any, times when I have not had positive reports on how it is going. Well, in the last two weeks, it has not been so good. I expanded the things that I was eating a little too much, and have had to cut back. But, because of travel, rain, meetings, football games, etc. — I have only been able to walk 4 times in the last 14 days. So, I have gained 3 pounds. It is time to reverse that direction — cut back on starchy foods, exercise on a more regular basis, and get the final 20 pounds off to reach my goal weight.
*************
Weight — March 15, 2017 — 324 pounds
Weight — October 6, 2017 — 234 pounds
Hoot's Musings 