Help! I'm Teaching the Gospel Project for Students

Back in the summer, Lydia and I sat down and talked through using the Leader Guide for The Gospel Project for Students. Thought it might be helpful for you last minuters who are about to start using this resource and want your teachers just a little more prepared. And, I have no idea why someone did not tell me to fix my collar!

Thanks for Letting Me Grow

These past few weeks have been fairly reflective, emotional, and filled with gratefulness. Friday I traveled to AL via MS to train AL youth leaders and then return home to attend the 100th Anniversary of First Baptist Church, Donelson. It was was a busy weekend but a really good one.

There are four churches that have had great impact in my early ministry life and those adults and leaders who have invested in me are some real saints to be sure.

East Lynne Baptist Church - located in rural MO, the wonderful people of this church invested in a young boy who loved hunting and fishing and was pretty quiet and shy. He was always observing, learning and not willing to risk much. Some sweet people like Phil and Norma Belcher, Bobby and Margaret Ely, Eddie and Betty Deardorff plus a couple of godly parents named Charles and Frances nurtured a young boy and laid a great foundation for ministry.

Beaumont Baptist Church - an inner-city church in KC, MO where some godly folks like Mrs. Lorene Dickson, Manuel Aston, The Norwoods, Charlene Creighton, Gary and Judy Taylor and a host of others allowed a teenaged boy to listen, learn and walk alongside of them in their pursuit of following Christ. Those same parents, Charles and Frances, continued to show me what it means to follow hard after Christ.

Casa View Baptist Church - this church was located in a changing community in the Dallas/Garland/Mesquite area and the wonderful folks there put me through seminary by paying for my "matriculation" fees for six semesters. What a blessing! and they allowed a young, arrogant, newly married young man to make many mistakes and to learn from them. People like Shelby Baucum had a huge impact on my life and here is where I learned to love people more than the programs we were trying to run. There are many people who influenced me here and one of my favorite is a gal named Sue Weaver who to this day continues to love life and people. She and her friend, Rosita, are two people that everyone needs to know. Dan Clevenger was another great person that God allowed me to learn from while in Dallas. There are too many to mention, but all of their investment in me are overwhelming.

First Baptist Church, Donelson - This is the last church that I served full-time before coming to LifeWay and these dear people allowed me to make a few mistakes and loved me anyway.  I worked with people like Jerry Beaty who to this day still has one of the best voices of anyone I know. W. Roy Fisher was my pastor and got me into running marathons before he left running and had to move to an elliptical. (There is a joke there that only he and I know.) Roy still has a funny accent but taught me alot about ministry. Gordon Donahoe showed me much grace as my supervisor and the office staff there were kind and gracious to me as well. It was also here that God allowed me to meet a guy named Mitch Fuller who continues to be like a brother to me. A wonderful friend that God has blessed my life with in so many ways.

This is a brief summary and in no way begins to express all the investment and gratefulness that I have for so many who have invested and impacted my life.

Here is a verse that begins to get at how thankful I am for these four churches and the people who have invested in me -  Phil. 1:3-5
3 I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

It Was A Very Good Day

How in the world does a dad steel himself for not only giving away the bride, but also officiate the ceremony? I have no idea. I do know that yesterday was an amazing day of worship, and family and friends.Thanks to so many who have prayed for us as parents and for our girls. Mark and Shelbi's wedding day was splendid.

It was great fun to see so many family and friends and we are especially excited to be family with not only Mark but his entire family. I am not sure they know how to take us, but it was just a sweet time with Mark's parents praying right before we all headed down the aisle. Just another huge blessing among so many others.

The newlyweds are enjoying the week together and we are getting back to some normalcy. Thanks for continuing to pray for the new Ellison family; Mark's parents and family; and for those Turner folks as well.

And she "left with her new favorite boy."

Just Another Week . . . Yeah, right?!?

So it is Monday, August 6th and I have lived 48 August 6ths before but this Monday starts a different week for us as a family. This Saturday, Shelbi, our oldest trades her name in for one that comes alot earlier in the alphabet. It is true, Shelbi Brooke Turner will become Shelbi Brooke Ellison and Mrs. Mark Ellison. Holy freaking cow! our baby is getting married! And . . . it is a very good thing.

I spoke about Mark earlier here so I will not rehash that all over again. I will say once again, how thankful and proud we are to have him as a part of our family. This past few months (about four or so) Sondra and Shelbi have been in wedding prep mode. Actually I think they both had been thinking through alot of plans prior to the engagement and just put most of that plan into action in April. To watch those two has been a blessing in itself. A little background will help you understand that last statement. Both Shelbi and Sondra are "planners". They make lists of lists of things to be accomplished. They are efficient, detailed and incredibly focused on getting tasks done. They look alike, think alike, act alike, walk alike and work alike. She is her mother's daughter for sure. At times they can be a little short fused, determined and can dig in. (I am not speaking out of turn or throwing either of them under the bus.) Through these past few months they have worked together beautifully. Sondra has been the ultimate Mom in planning and making sure her daughter's wedding will be what Shelbi wants. It has been a beautiful thing to watch. I know that Shelbi is aware of and thankful for the care and detail that Sondra has taken.

And, . . . I know my place. I can be somewhat of a jokester, antagonist, interjector of sarcasm, etc. and I have chosen to refrain from that and wisely so I might add. I have discovered that a dad's role is to provide the budget, give lots of hugs and generally do what he is told to do. (I don't mean that negatively either.) I get to play a pretty big role and in fact already have. A daddy is to love and protect his daughters. He is to listen to their heartaches and their joys and he is to unconditionally love and support. He also gets to teach them to throw a ball; ride a bike; dribble and shoot; and to model how a man treats his wife and shows honor and respect. He hurts when they hurt; encourages; cries and laughs with them; and feels a little sad when that one young man comes around that he knows will become the man that his daughter loves and makes her husband. But that dad is also very proud when that young man loves God and his daughter and that little bit of sadness is mixed with great joy.

There are a few things left to do this week before 2p on Saturday. In the mix of those things is some good time with family and a whole lot of thankfulness. So many things to reflect on; to celebrate; and to be thankful for this week. And we are thankful that we get to share it with many of you.