West Franklin Family, As you know, I did not grow up hearing the word “Advent.” The season of Advent has been, until recently, foreign to me. Quickly, however, Advent has become one of my favorite seasons on the Christian calendar. It gives me (and the Church) permission to ache. Permission to long. Permission to recognize and acknowledge that life is hard, a struggle, a slog. Advent means “coming.” It carries with it the idea that we are living in the… Read more
Advent music is not the same as Christmas music. Yes, both are usually played around the same time. But they are not the same. Advent expresses longing, waiting, deep desire. Advent expresses the tension we have as we live between the first and second coming of Jesus. He has come. He is coming again. For now, we wait. We hope. We long. We ache. This is Advent. Christmas music focuses on and celebrates the event of Jesus’ first arrival in… Read more
West Franklin Family, Paul told the church in Philippi not to “worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6) That’s a good word anytime, especially this week. When I am in conversation with God, everything should be discussed with a posture of thanksgiving and gratefulness. It was Paul’s posture. It was the posture he called for the Philippian church. It is what I desire for myself and our church…. Read more
Believe it or not, Advent begins the Sunday after Thanksgiving (November 28th). Advent. Longing. A season where we get to be real about our deepest longings. A season where we express our hope of what is to come, along with our authentic struggle to endure the here and now. A season where we are given the freedom and permission to be real and raw. Advent means “arrival” or “coming.” We know what is coming, but we struggle in the present…. Read more
West Franklin Family, I noticed something Thursday morning. Something unique. Something convicting. Eddie (as in, Eddie the dog) knows there is always going to be a Greenie for him pre-breakfast. He’s sure of it. He has zero doubt one is going to be handed to him by yours truly. Each and every morning when I get in from my walk, he knows what time it is. All I have to say is, “want to eat?” and he is ALL IN…. Read more
Henry Ruggs is in a lot of trouble. Like, A LOT of trouble. A week ago today (11.02.2021) he was involved in a car accident that left a 23 year old woman and her dog dead. Since the tragedy, authorities have learned that Ruggs was driving under the influence (twice the legal limit) at 156 miles per hour. In addition, a firearm was found (which a big “no-no” if you are under the influence) and new felony counts have emerged… Read more
West Franklin Family, What’s that one thing God has designed you for that you would do, regardless? What is that thing He has made you for, where you most feel His presence? What is it that you would do no matter what? As you well know, I love sports. Especially this time of year. College football. Playoff baseball (Go Braves!). College Football. Professional Football. And, of course, college football. This week there were three – THREE! – instances where an… Read more
Without a doubt, Psalm 23 is one of the best known and most beloved chapters in all the Bible. It’s memorized. It’s on our walls in our homes and church buildings. It’s read at funerals and gravesides. It is meditated on during dark and difficult and depressing days. David’s writing of the 23rd Psalm is a thing of literary and psychological and theological beauty. The Lord is my Shepherd. Yes. But have you ever thought about the first line of… Read more
West Franklin Family, If you could ask God for one thing what would it be? Seriously. Think about it for a moment. I’ll wait. If you could ask God to do ONE thing for you, what would that ONE THING be? If you are anything like me, a plethora of things come to mind. Everything ranging from my kids loving Jesus to a healthy marriage to healthy parents to a church that lives on mission with Jesus. The hard part… Read more
West Franklin Family, Tomorrow morning will be the last morning we worship in the sanctuary for a while. As you well know, renovations are coming. The last thing we will do together as a congregation in the pre-renovated room is observe the Lord’s Supper. We will observe in the room again one day – but after tomorrow, the next time we partake – the room will look and feel and sound different. One thing I have learned from talking with… Read more
