I may never sit beneath the shade of the trees that I plant...

An ancient proverb says "A society grows great when old men plant trees under whose shade they know they'll never sit."

Indeed, the planting of a tree is an investment in time. It takes a pecan tree 10 years to produce pecans, 20 years to produce large pecans that could be commercially viable. It takes just as long for trees to mature to the age where one can legitimately sit beneath their shade, and cool off on a hot summer day to a glass of sweet iced tea.

I remember when I was a kid, my grandfather planted trees in his front yard, hoping for the day that he would be able to walk in his front yard in the cool of the breeze during the hottest days of summer. Though I was in junior high when he planted those trees (some 20 years ago,) I must report that those trees have yet to produce a suitable canopy for shade from the summer sun. Yet, my grandfather planted those trees, because he had faith and hope in the future.

It takes faith and hope to plant a tree. It takes faith that the tree will grow, and that God will provide the rain, and protect it from any disease that might kill it before it matures. It takes a hope, a confident expectation that one day, you or your descendants will sit beneath the shade of that tree. Planting trees requires a long view, the ability to see beyond today, or tomorrow, and see what can be in the distant future.

I makes sense for a 30-something to plant trees, for those trees will provide him shade when he retires. However, a 50-60 year old man has little to gain from planting trees. The only satisfaction he receives is the knowledge that he made life better for the generation that will follow him. When old men have that long of a view, a vision for a good, quality life for their descendants long after they are gone, then the society has taken on a new level of greatness.

Of course, if the proverb were merely about horticulture, it wouldn't carry much meaning for us today, now would it. The actual meaning of the proverb is that a society grows great when fathers and grandfathers build a legacy that will benefit their children and grandchildren, even if they know they'll never see it for themselves. The American dream isn't really about a new house, three car garage, a big screen TV, and vacation property. The American dream was originally about ascending the economic ladder, rising up out of poverty into the middle class, so that your children would have better opportunities than you. It was about rising from the middle class to the upper class, so that your children would never be threatened with want. All the afore mentioned things (homes, cars, etc) are just toys collected along the way.

With that in mind, I think about my own life. My family comes from humble beginnings. As far as social status, financial status, or political connections, I have no pedigree of which to boast. Yet, I have been blessed.

When I was in school, I dreamed of getting elected to Congress in my 20s, the Senate in my 30s, and making a run for President in my 40s. It's pretty safe to say, I'll never achieve those dreams, but that is okay. Those who are successful in politics usually have a family background that preps them for such achievements.

Today, my dream has been redefined. I no longer dream of achieving greatness, fame, power, or even riches. My dream today is to groom my children, and prepare them for the world that lay ahead, so that they may be able to successfully pursue their dreams, whatever they may be. My dream today is to plant trees. I may be able to rest in their shade someday, or I may not. Nevertheless, I know that my children and grandchildren will be able to rest in the shade of the trees that I plant today... so planting I will do.

Then, I'll trust God for the rain, and to keep the tree healthy so those dreams can be realized.

What about you? Are you planting any trees in your life?

Still Frozen

Since the release of "Frozen" last November, the theological world has been abuzz with the film's depiction of true love being a commitment of self-sacrifice, rather than the fulfillment of self-centered emotions. Much of this discussion comes from the surprise of many that the film broke from the traditional plot-line of a princess in search of a handsome prince to whisk her away into the sunset. Instead, Frozen's climax took place when the princess Anna gives her life to save her sister, Queen Elsa. The theme of self-sacrificial love is repeated several times in the movie.

Such a definition of love from a secular movie (from Disney, no less), fired up the Christian world, whose writers then pointed to Frozen's definition and illustration of love to show the agape love Christ showed for us when He died on the cross for our sins.

Typically, I don't look for meaning or theological truth when I watch movies... especially if I went to the theater to watch them. If I go to the theater, I am going to escape reality for a couple of hours... that, and I'm going to eat popcorn and drink coke. For two hours, there are no phone calls, no texts, no Facebook messages, and no responsibilities. No breaking news, no strains of the pastoral ministry, no sermons to write, no bills to pay, and no taxes to file... it's just me, my kids, and talking snowmen, cars, planes, or minions. It's a good time.

However, Frozen was different. For you to understand why, I must first confess that I struggle with depression. No matter how much God blesses me, I find myself going through times of hopelessness and fear, doubt, and even sadness. I have a tendency to allow myself to become overwhelmed.

So, when the movie depicted two sisters who were separated by a large door... the one being kept from the other for her safety, I could relate. All the young Princess Anna wanted to do was play with her sister, Elsa, and enjoy the freedom and fun they had enjoyed before. For safety reasons, however, Elsa had to be kept from Anna. I could only think of how I wanted to go back to a time when I could freely enjoy my family. I also thought of how I would love to go back to a time when Jessica and I could spend hours together without the responsibility that come with being a missionary couple who have to work full-time to make ends meet.

At Elsa's coronation, things broke loose, the kingdom was frozen by Elsa's reaction to Anna's newfound boyfriend, and the newly crowned queen retreated to the mountains, her secret power of being able to create snow and ice having been revealed to the kingdom.

As she approached the mountain top, she broke into song... "Let It Go," an anthem of breaking free of unrealistic expectations, self-isolation, and living life on one's own terms. That song hit me, as well, because it captured the young princess' struggle with containing and concealing her power in order to maintain order in the kingdom, and to spare the fears or opinions of others. To sum it up, she basically had been living in a self-imposed prison, her every move subject to scrutiny, and the ever burdensome responsibilities of the kingdom on her shoulders.

This song is resonating with pre-teen and teenage girls, for a variety of reasons. Whether it is the increasing pressures we place on our school children, to the ever increasing social pressure being placed on tweens. You get to a point where you just want to say, "forget it!" and retreat to your own world. In an article from The Gospel Coalition, the dangers of this song are spelled out. The Gospel Coalition writes:

Thousands of little girls across the country are singing this song – a manifesto of sorts, a call to cast off restraint, rebel against unrealistic expectations and instead be true to whatever you feel most deeply inside. What’s ironic is that the movie’s storyline goes against the message of this song. When the princess decides to “let it go,” she brings terrible evil into the world. The fallout from her actions is devastating. “No right, no wrong, no rules for me” is the sin that isolates the princess and freezes her kingdom.

While Elsa's retreat into her self-made ice castle was self-centered and brought about destruction in the kingdom, the Gospel Coalition ignores the factors that led into that "meltdown," for lack of a better word. Elsa was under a lot of pressure to perform and be perfect. That is the pressure that teenagers face today, which is why the song resonates with them. While I see the danger in the lyrics being translated into a "rebel at all cost, disregard the consequences, and make yourself happy," the fact is that the song can help us better teach our kids how to deal with such emotions.

However, it's not just teenage girls that face this kind of pressure. When my family and I watched the movie, I was fresh out of the annual Missionary Baptist Association of Texas meeting, where, for the fifth consecutive year, my request for salary support for Grace Pointe MBC had been approved. We had hoped to ween ourselves off support by year three. We are two years behind schedule.

While the association was understanding of our plight, not all individuals were. Back home, I was facing pressure. The church had plateau'ed, and it was alleged that the lack of growth stemmed from a spiritual stagnation, which "begins at the top and filters down." Translation: The church is not growing, and it's my fault.

My life is lived in a glass house. My spirituality is constantly scrutinized. People can say any abusive or insulting thing they want to me, and any reaction other than "Thank you, God bless you, I'll pray that the Lord heals me of (whatever you're complaining about)" means that I am not spiritual, and am living in rebellion against God. If someone needs money, I am not a Christian unless I give it to them. If I don't witness to 100 people a day, I am not fulfilling my role as missionary. And on those rare times that I have let down my guard, and shared my weaknesses with someone else, I have found myself wishing I hadn't said anything.

So, the lyrics hit home. "Don't let them in, don't let them see, be the good (boy) you always have to be." Until, that is, the breaking point comes. Now I know that the worst thing that could happen is that I reach that breaking point and go running off into the mountains to isolate myself. I'm not justifying the character's actions at all. What I am saying, is that I can relate. (And isn't it the mark of a great writer to create characters with whom the audience can relate.)

So, as I listen to the song, "Let it Go," I don't hear a call to rebellion. I hear a character who struggles with her day to day life... and I can relate to that. I have a feeling that you can relate to it as well. Preachers, pastors and missionaries aren't the only ones who feel under the gun, who struggle with the daily pressures of life. I bet you feel those pressures, too, and if you think it'd help, you can share those struggles by commenting on this post.

I pray daily for God's healing of my heart, and for God's strength and wisdom as we forge ahead in Brownwood. If I need to add you to my prayers, please feel free to let me know. God bless you.

It's Not About Right to Religion, It's About the Right to Connect with God

National Public Radio recently ran a story about the conflict between the law of the land, The Affordable Care Act, and the religious beliefs and practices of the Catholic church, which doesn't believe in the use of birth control. The premise of the story is what happens, and what should happen, when one's religious views run contrary to the law of the land. While I am glad that NPR has chosen to highlight the consequences American Christians are facing for holding to their faith, the piece misses fundamental truths about God, man, and freedom.

The U.S. Constitution prohibits Congress (and by extension, the state governments) from making a law respecting the establishment of religion, or the free exercise thereof. This was the first right listed in the Bill of Rights, and for good reason. Those who colonized America often did so to escape religious persecution in Europe. Further, the founding fathers remembered the days under British rule, when personal liberties had become rare.

So, in the Declaration of Independence, the founding fathers affirmed their belief in a Creator, and that the Creator had endowed all men with the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. At the core of these rights is the freedom to determine who you are, what you believe, and your sense of right and wrong. These freedoms were affirmed and protected, because the founding fathers knew that government could not connect people to their Creator, nor could it coerce the worship of Him. Each man must connect to God on his own.

Their intent, was for you to be able to freely seek out God, and discover His plan for your life. You were then free to pursue that plan as long as you wanted.

Fast forward nearly two and a half centuries, and we have a law passed that requires Catholic ministries to provide coverage for something their doctrine opposes... contraceptives. Meanwhile, we have courts in Colorado and New Mexico forcing business owners to partake in same-sex weddings, which are a violation of their faiths. In its decision against a wedding photographer who refused to photograph a same-sex wedding, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that part of being an American involves doing things that violate your own conscience.

I wonder if those justices have read the founding documents of our country. I wonder if they realize that the Constitution was written in such a way as to protect our right to follow our conscience. You see, many who support the New Mexico Supreme Court's decision to force a wedding photographer to participate in a same-sex wedding, which violates her Christian faith, don't see what the big deal is. After all, the court didn't hinder her going to church or participating in her religion. It merely required her to do something she disagreed with, in the interest of stamping out discrimination. However, in doing so, the requirement was set forth by the government that would force this photographer to do something that would shatter her relationship with God. It's a very serious matter.

You see, faith begins when you repent from your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. That is a change made inside your heart, and no government entity can take it away from you. That faith is then manifest in how you live... which involves participating in God's religion, the Christian church. Any attempt to regulate your involvement in the church, or any attempt to compel you to sin, is a violation of the founding father's affirmation that you have the right to freely connect with God. And that's what the secularist doesn't understand.

Religion is not a social club or a civic organization. It is an expression of  the innermost part of your being. That right, to be who you are, is given by God, and affirmed by the Constitution. So, if you choose to live a secular lifestyle, apart from God, or His influence, you are free to do so. If you choose to follow a lifestyle of homosexuality, you are free to do so. However, you are not free to require that others participate in that lifestyle with you, nor can you require that others accept that lifestyle. To do that, you'd have to regulate the human heart, and that is something that no government can do.

That being said, you will reap the consequences (good or bad) of the decisions you make in this life when you die and face the Lord in judgment. Choose wisely.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Why Christians Engage the Political Process

1 Corinthians 1:27 says "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" To put it more plainly, God has chosen the common, everyday man to proclaim His message to the world. With that in mind, it's easy to see why the bearded brothers and patriarch of A&E's Duck Dynasty have been able to influence American culture far and above any other cable reality series.

I normally don't weigh in on Christian celebrities, or major news events surrounding individuals... mainly because my experience is that those placed on pedestals often let us down. Who can forget how Miss California was blasted by Perez Hilton in the Miss America (or was it Miss USA) pageant for not affirming gay marriage. Immediately, we had high-profile Christian leaders rally to her defense, claiming persecution of Christian values. That defense was silenced a few weeks later, when compromising photos of Miss California surfaced, and it became evident she wasn't living up to the values she professed publicly.

Which is why, despite his testimony, and the hours I have spent watching his TV show, I have been slow to weigh in on the controversy surrounding Phil Robertson. Still, there are two things about Robertson that I cannot get away from. (1) His testimony of how God took him from being a wretched sinner, to being a Christian who actually uses his life as a platform to promote the Gospel, and (2) his deep, abiding respect for the American way of life, particularly our founding fathers' commitment to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How amazing is it that God is allowing these bearded rednecks, who are a laughing stalk among the cultural elite, to re-insert Christianity and Biblical principles into mainstream American life.

While the producers of the Duck Dynasty TV show limit Robertson's ability to proclaim the Gospel over the air, he is repeatedly able to discuss the three unalienable rights granted to us by our Creator... the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, rights to which the founders of our nation committed this country when they drafted the organizational documents and mission statement of our government. They were the guiding values of the American revolution, and the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.

The problem in America today is that the society, and government officials, have either forgotten that our country is built on preserving those three basic rights, or forgotten what they mean altogether. These are rights that every Christian should stand up and defend, not only because they were granted by the Creator, but because without the protection of these basic rights, we are not free to "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." (1 Timothy 2:2) Basically, without the protection of our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, we are not free to worship God in Spirit and truth, and we are not free to seek His will for our lives. For that reason, Christians should be involved in the political process, because every piece of legislation and so-called national defense initiative are eroding those rights.

All that said, let's look at these three unalienable rights, and what they truly mean to us. The first right is basic... the right to life. God created us to live. Life is such a basic right that many take it for granted. However, the Bill of Rights, and due process under the law are designed to protect this most basic right. Both the Bill of Rights and laws governing due legal process prevent a person's life being taken from them without a proper trial, without being proven guilty of a crime, and laws are in place to prevent someone else from taking your life away from you.

Yet today, the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government is slow to speak against using deadly force against Americans who are suspected of being engaged in domestic terroristic activity. While this may seem to some to be a common-sense way to combat terrorism, keep in mind that if one of your fellow Americans can be labeled a national security threat, and terminated without due process, you can be as well.

Furthermore, U.S. law allows for unborn children to be denied the basic right to life, based on the decisions, values or whims of the mother, or medical advice of a physician. Some abortions are performed because the unborn child has Downs Syndrome, or a serious disability. To counter the idea that unborn children should be aborted, and denied their right to life because of a disability, I will quote abortion survivor Gianna Jessen, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy as a result of a botched abortion. Jessen's mother tried to abort her, but she survived, and was later adopted.  Jessen told a crowd of supporters in Brownwood, Texas, recently, that it is arrogant for a healthy person to determine whether a disabled person can enjoy a good quality of life.

The second unalienable right given by our Creator, and recognized by our country's founding documents, is the right to liberty... the right to make your own decisions. While Christians are often accused as being enemies of liberty for opposing homosexuality, same-sex marriage, drug legalization, etc, it is not Christians who are trying to dictate what you feed your children for lunch, or what values are taught to your children through the public school system. Today's government seeks to monitor and control child nutrition, caloric intake, how much water flows through your toilet when you flush, what kind of light bulb you can buy, what options are in your health insurance package, what kind of car you drive, and even mandate with whom you are allowed to do business.

There have been court cases where business people (like a wedding photographer in New Mexico) were compelled by legal penalty to partake in activities that violated their very conscience. In a land of liberty, the individual should have the ability to decide for whom they would like to perform services, and for whom they would not. In a land of liberty, no one should be compelled to engage in religion, neither should one be compelled to engage in what they view as a sinful event. So, liberty is being attacked.

And finally, there is the pursuit of happiness. To properly understand what it means to pursue happiness, you really have to read Thomas Jefferson's writings. Jefferson's view of the pursuit of happiness was to determine what your talents were, and then to live life pursuing those interests, building your talent, and becoming all you could be. It was about self-actualization, rising through the income brackets, accomplishing great things, and breaking barriers. It was about the son of a blacksmith becoming a senator, or the son of a senator becoming a teacher. The pursuit of happiness is about finding your passion, and following it, and maximizing your achievement.

However, today's culture and government penalizes such behavior, and encourages settling for serfdom in low income positions, and mediocrity in ambitions.

Seeing the slow erosion of these freedoms, and the awareness and value placed on these freedoms, Christians should be involved in the political process. The goal should be to defend, protect, and restore those basic rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For, if we remain silent, one day those rights will be gone, and so will our ability to live peaceably, and holy, and worship in Spirit and truth.

Driving Sideways

-Nascar.com

I'll admit, when I was a kid, I watched NASCAR races for two reasons, and two reasons only: (1) To watch Richard Petty win, and (2) to see spectacular crashes. You see, stock cars are designed to fly apart during crashes in order to protect the driver. Thus, NASCAR crashes usually are spectacular sights. Since then, however, my NASCAR fascination has become a little more nuanced.

Unlike other forms of racing, stock cars used in NASCAR races are heavily regulated to keep the cars performing at the same level. That way, the contest is not machine vs. machine, but rather racer vs. racer. While there are tweaks that can legally be made to stock cars (wedge, tire pressure, etc), by and large most stock cars perform at the same level.

Therefore, to win in NASCAR, you have to be a skilled driver, and perform consistently on the track. Thus racers log hours on the track, training how to properly drive the car, learning which lines are the best to follow, developing reactionary skills in emergency situations, learning to draft, and learning when to follow the line, and when to make a move.

The problem is, no matter how hard you train, with 39 other stock car drivers on the track, you cannot control everything that happens. All it takes is a simple bump on your inside rear quarter panel to upend your day. When that bump happens, the car is turned sideways on the track. It's a harrowing experience, but the well-trained driver calmly steers into the skid, straightening the car out as if drifts down onto the apron. Heart pounding and heavy breathing ensues as the driver comes to grips with what has happened as the rest of the field speeds past him.

At this point, the driver has two options. He can either head to the pits to compose himself and let the pit crew give his car a once-over, or he can accelerate and get back on the track. The former option will all but take the driver out of the race, as he'll be a lap down. The latter will keep him on the lead lap, even if he has been relegated to the back of the pack. Still, the latter option requires ambition, drive, and nerves of steal.

My point in talking NASCAR with you today is that life is a lot like a NASCAR race. Perhaps you have trained hard through Bible study, secular education, and vocational training. You have a career goal, a solid spiritual life, qualifications, and are building experience that will take you far in life. In that regard, you are like that well-trained NASCAR driver who has read the training manual, and gotten the hands-on experience to run the race.

Regardless of preparation and education, however, no one is ever in full control of their lives. Just as a bump to the rear quarter panel can send a stock car into a spin, a bump in the real world can send your life into a spin as well. It looks different for all of us. Some of our bumps merely put us into a skid that lands us safely on the apron. It's a setback, but we are still on the lead lap, and are still in the race. Others experience a more devastating sequence. Perhaps our metaphorical stock car has been spun into the wall, or perhaps we've collided with another stock car.

These metaphorical bumps, skids, spins and crashes look different for each individual. Whether it be a divorce, terminated employment, a financial crisis, a medical condition, natural disaster, or the death of a loved one, a bump on the track can temporarily knock us out of the running. The question is, whether you are the type of driver that gets back into the race, or heads to the pits.

2013 was a year that saw my life sent into a skid. I'm going to be transparent with you, and tell you that I battle depression. At least, that's what I think it is. I've never had it diagnosed, and I am not interested in medicating it. My emotional problems stem from Spiritual problems in my life, with which I am learning that everyone struggles. Still, 2013 saw some bumps that sent my proverbial stock car into a skid.

Funding for Grace Pointe fell off, as did Sunday offerings. The church has not operated in the black for months. Also, attendance at Grace Pointe has fallen off, due partly to members moving out of town, but also due partly to mission-fatigue. To top all that off, over the summer, I was faced with hostility that forced me to find a different job, and once I was settled into that new job, my grandfather (who raised me) passed away. At least we were able to say good-bye, first.

That's not to say there weren't high points. My new job is co-hosting a morning talk show on KXYL. I mean, really, who wouldn't want to do talk radio for a living? The Southwest Association continues to support Grace Pointe. The Missionary Baptist Association of Texas contributed $15,000 toward Grace Pointe's building fund. The American Baptist Association meeting in Dallas was a blast, and I am getting the blessing of being able to show a group of foster kids a whole new way to live. Oh, and we got a Nintendo Wii for Christmas, and I am enjoying Mario Cart.

Still, human nature is (or at least, my human nature is) to allow the bad to take hold of your mind, and drown out the good. Six years ago, I resigned Denson Springs Missionary Baptist Church to move to Brownwood, and plant a new Missionary Baptist Church here. My goal was for the church to be self-supporting by 2011, and sending out missionaries by 2014. Neither goal is going to materialize, and I have found myself wondering if I have done something wrong.

Enter my wife Jessica, who uses the object lesson of our relationship with our children to illustrate why things seem so distant between me and God lately. The problem is that I allow the trials of life to outshine God's blessings in my life. In short, I have not been thankful. The lesson that God has been teaching me over the course of the past year, that I think I am just now learning, is that my focus needs to come off of the good and the bad, and just be on God. I need to delight in the Lord, joyfully receive His blessings, trust Him during the "bumps," and continue doing what He has called me to do.

With that in mind, my resolve is to be the driver that, once he finds himself on the apron of the track, accelerates and steers back into the race. God has called me to Brownwood-Early. He has called me to launch this church, and He has called this church to publicly proclaim the Word of God. With His help in 2014, we will obey His calling. And with your prayers and encouragement, I am going to learn to rest and delight in the Lord, to trust Him, and then to obey Him.

Have you been bumped into a spin this year? If so, how did you recover? And how are you planning on getting back into your race?

Psalm 37:4-8 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.