A New Journey!

Many of you asked “When are you going to update your blog?” My stock answer has been “When I’ve got something important (in my mind ) to say!”)

Today’s that day!

I’ve had my share of jobs over the years. Some might argue I’ve had LOTS of jobs. Swim coach - lifeguard - disk jockey – moped mechanic - Subway sandwich salesman – firefighter - law enforcement officer… Each and every one was “the job” that I was sure would be my “perfect career” when I finally “grew up.” As a result of some really great people who took a chance on my while at Clemson, I’ve spent the last 22 years working in technology doing what I thought would see me through to retirement. I “rose through the ranks”, worked for great people, and finally landed what I thought was the “dream job” – big office, big staff, lots of responsibility and making more money than – honestly – I thought I probably deserved.

As many of you know, I left that job – my “perfect job” – in September of 2008. I walked away with no real plan. Many factors played into that decision, but, at the center of it all was a growing discontent – I wasn’t where God wanted me to be. I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God had different plans. Someone once said “God will not let you be content if you’re where He doesn’t want you to be.” That made sense, but I wanted the big picture. I wanted to know WHAT he had in store – not simply that it was “something else.”

For 9 months, I’ve continued to wrestle with what God had in store for me. The technology job offers that I knew would come, didn’t. Why not? As I struggled to see the “big picture”, my pastor and close friend, Bryan Plyler reminded me that God is a lamp – showing us the next step - and not the “big Q-beam” that show us everything out as far as we can see. Faith requires a step, knowing that He’ll provide.

Today, I’m thrilled to share with you that I’m employed! (The cheers and shouts of joy you hear are from my wife, Kelly and the kids, who are tired of “Mr. Mom” hanging around the house the last 9 months! ) Today, at 46 years old, I start a new career.
More than just “employed” though, I’ve found what I truly believe is God’s plan for my life!

I’ve humbly accepted a full-time position as Small Groups Pastor with The River Church (www.riverchurchonline.com.) The church is experiencing unbelievable growth – not just in attendance – but in being able to impact people’s lives, make disciples, and send those people back out to make disciples and change lives.

In addition to expanding our already growing small groups ministry, I’ll also share in general pastoral duties with Bryan, and have an opportunity to “share life” with old and new friends as we help build disciples, who will build disciples, who will build disciples – all in accordance with God’s plan! As part of the process, I’ve applied to seminary at Columbia International University (CIU) in Columbia and hope to begin classes in the fall.

My family has been awesome through this – especially Kelly. She’s put up with me as I struggled to figure all of this out, and she’s given me the opportunity to make sure that what I’m doing places me squarely in the center of God’s will. She’s an incredible wife, and who I am today is, in large part, due to her. Kelly - thanks, and I love you!

As I start this new chapter, I’m sure I’ll have stories to tell. An “old guy”, going back to get his master’s degree, with a history of “less than stellar” academic performance, studying something that is “Greek” (no pun intended) to him? That’s GOT to make for some exciting stories! Please pray for my family and me as we start this new journey – It’s sure to be exciting! May God be glorified in everything that’s done!

Thanks to you all!

Wild Goose Chase

I don’t understand why kids wait in line for days at the movie theater to be the first to see the latest Harry Potter movie, or stand in line for hours to get the newest video game that hits the shelves at midnight. However, I’ll admit – I watched the mailbox with the same anticipation waiting for Mark Batterson’s new book – Wild Goose Chase.

Like Batterson’s first book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, the book is short enough to read through in one sitting. And, for those that choose to take that approach, you won’t be disappointed. However, in my mind, the mark of a good piece of non-fiction is now it applies to me, and here’s where Batterson hits a home run.

The book calls it “responsible irresponsibility”. Doing something that – on the surface - makes no sense. But we make excuses. And, in the context of the Wild Goose, these become our cages.

“I’m unqualified.”

“I might fail.”

“I need to pray about it.”

“I’m waiting on a sign from God.”

Early in the book, Batterson tackles these excuses (and others.) He cites real world examples of people who have taken the next step to pursue God. From the Biblical story of Nehemiah’s rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem to John Muir (the founder of the Sierra Club) pushing higher into the mountains during a raging storm, Batterson talks about intentionally pursuing God.

God never intended for us to go through life carefully calculating every step. In chess, we want to know what effect our next move will have ten moves from now. God doesn’t work that way! He doesn’t want us to stroll casually into heaven, saying “I was careful, God” or “I waited until I knew *exactly* what you wanted before I made that move, God.” Instead, (to use a baseball analogy), I think God wants us sliding into heaven, completely used up, with absolutely nothing more to give, saying, “God, I took risks. I stepped out. Many times, I didn’t know what it was exactly that you wanted, but I relied on my faith. I pursued you, and I relentless told others about you.”


Take risks. Stop thinking and take the next step. Chase the Wild Goose!

In a Pit with a Lion

Have you ever read a book that radically changed the way you looked at things? In casual conversations the last week or so, I’ve asked that question. Several people replied with “The Bible” – almost as though that’s the answer that thought I expected. (To be clear –the Bible has had a tremendous impact on me…but that’s a story for another time.) But, beyond the Bible – are there others? People mentioned business books (”Who Moved my Cheese?” and “How to Win Friends and Influence People”), books on deep subjects (“Zen’s Art of War”) and books on wars (“Schindler’s List” and “Red Badge of Courage”.)

A while back, a friend of mine (thanks, Brent!) loaned me a copy of “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson. Wow – what an incredible book! The story is based on an obscure passage from the Bible (2 Samuel 23:20-21) :

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.

Can you picture that scene? Think “Indiana Jones” with Harrison Ford (in his early days) playing Benaiah – felt hat, whip and all. Harrison Ford races to the edge of the pit, screeching to a halt, looking over the edge, and then – with little hesitation – leaping over the edge of the pit and facing the lion head on. Later in the movie, he would come face to face with this towering Egyptian, holding a 7 foot spear in his hand. Benaiah’s friends would be with him. Fifteen to twenty Egyptians were sitting around at a table, and the biggest one would stand up to a smaller Benaiah… He’d call him out. Dare him to challenge him. And Harrison Ford would literally snatch the spear away, kick his butt, and dare someone else to say something about it!

Benaiah went to on to great things, in large part because he took risks. He pursued dreams. He chased lions.

It’s an awesome book. A must read. And now, Mark Batterson is coming out with a new book. Stay tuned – I’ll tell you all about it.

Everett Tillman Warnock

As we get older, it’s easy to forget – a fact of life we all face. Some things, we want to forget. Others… not so much.

I have very fond memories of my grandparents – in particular, my grandfather on my dad’s side. Everett Tillman Warnock. We called him “Papa”. Mom, dad, my sister, my two brothers and I piled into the 2-door Plymouth Fury III (one of us typically asleep in the back window ledge…) and traveled the six hours to Waycross, GA to see them at least twice a year. I spent many summers there – running barefoot through the dirt streets, fishing, and helping out in the shop.

Recently, my grandfather was posthumously honored by my cousin, Billy (or “Bill”, as he’s now known in professional circles) and his wife, Becky. There’s now a study hall named after him at Auburn. He was an out-of-the-limelight kind of man - and would have been far too humble to want or expect something like this. However, no one is more deserving.

If you didn’t know my grandfather, and you simply looked at his resume, you’d probably wonder… “Huh?” “A study hall?” “For a man with a 6th grade education?” However, if you knew my grandfather, you’d know that a more fitting tribute couldn’t exist. With some help from *my* dad, let me reflect…

Papa was born in 1903. He grew up on a farm, and married a 15 year old farm girl, Edith (“Granny”, to us) when he was 19. They raised 6 children (all born at home). He worked as a farmer, drove road machinery, sold furniture and retired with his own furniture repair business (which, to him, meant going to work for himself.)

For someone with “only” a 6th grade education – he was brilliant. I’m guessing he didn’t know what the word “Algebra” meant, but he could do complex math problems in his head, and solved logic and algebraic problems with a pencil and a napkin. He loved puzzles! I remember him getting his first calculator (very late in life) and being amazed at what it would do. He had a remarkable memory, and could name all 159 counties in Georgia. He knew the county seat, population and neighboring counties of every one.

He drove a furniture route - with hundreds of customers. He knew every single one by name. He also knew their families, and he knew the personal family situation of each one. When he started in 1942, he was making $18/week. He worked a six-day week and yet, he always had time to stop along the route and, with my dad in tow, take time out for a little fishin’ along the way. He drove over a million miles during his career, commuting 100 miles/day late in life to a job in Homerville, GA, and had only one serious accident the entire time (when he hit a cow in the middle of the road!)

His grandfather fought in the Civil War. He used to tell us stories about his grandfather and about his life growing up. Stories abounded – from “Huck Finn”-like stories of him rafting down the river to the story of his uncle whose ingrown toe hurt so bad that he shot it off (yep!) – he was always telling stories!

He was a tinker and an inventor. If he needed a “custom” part for a piece of furniture or a equipment, he made it – by hand. He rebuilt organs– blowing each of the little metal reeds to find one that was “out of tune.” He built a beautiful piece of furniture for me – a small chest - out of scrap wood, cigar boxes and metal tobacco cans. It’s a piece I’ll always cherish. His greatest invention (at least to us kids) was box with a squirrel’s tail in it (his “mongoose trap” (“the fastest animal alive”) that he used to scare customers, friends and family – anyone who even remotely showed an interest!

For the most part, he was skeptical of things he couldn’t see or understand. He doubted man landed on the moon (he was convinced that it was staged.) He witnessed the invention of television – something else he never understood (but that he enjoyed none-the-less!) He was around when they invented moving pictures (movies), the airplane (flown by the Wright brothers the year he was born), television, the refrigerator, WWI (he was too young to serve) and WWII (he was too old!), and remembered moving into his first house with indoor plumbing and a bathroom. And, despite being skeptical of things he couldn’t see or didn’t understand, he knew who God was, and what it meant to be a Christian. He joined Crawford Street Baptist Church in 1943, and served faithfully as a Deacon until he died in 1978, just shy of his 75th birthday.

So, as I read the plaque attached to the memorial for my grandfather, I realize that the words engraved there – “spirit, perseverance and a sense of purpose” really don’t do him justice. And yet, they describe him perfectly.

Baseball and being "Intentional"

One of the few downsides of being a Southerner and marrying a girl from “way up North” is that our extended families are *really* far apart. Kelly’s from Michigan, and most of her family is still there (the main exception being her sister, Jennifer, who migrated South like the rest of us normal folks …)

We try and make at least one or two pilgrimages to the north each year, and we started several years ago sending the kids up for a week or two during the summer to spend with “Poppa” (Kelly’s dad, Bill.) This year, William – our 9-year old – went for two weeks. Those that know Will know that he LOVES baseball (and every other sport imaginable), and Traverse City, MI affords him the opportunity to see a pretty good minor league team, the Beach Bums.

This year, Will came home with *5* baseballs (and an assortment of tiny bats, pennants and shirts) from the ballpark. When I asked him where he got them, he replied “I caught some, and then I went looking for more and found some and then I gave some away… And somebody gave me one, too.” In the end, he had more than he could carry! When I asked him why he gave some away, he said “…because some of the kids didn’t have any.”

Now, on the surface, I’ve got to admit – my FIRST thought was how proud I was of Will for being willing to give away his baseballs. (I’m always impressed (and, quite frankly, amazed) when he exhibits positive character traits, like sharing, when he has such trouble doing so at home with his brother, Robert!)

So what does this have do with “being intentional?” We don’t get the best results when we sit back and wait for things to come our way. Sometimes, things will drop into our lap (remember Will’s first couple of balls?) He got much better results when he went out and intentionally looked for opportunities to find more balls. He found some. Someone gave him one. In the end, he had all he could carry. He ended up with far more than he started with and, more importantly, he found great satisfaction in giving some away.

Lauren's First Wakeboarding Experience

For those that are still waiting on the "Will" story about baseball - I'm working on it. For now, something a bit more lighthearted!

On Friday, July 4th, our friend Phyllis offered to teach Lauren how to wakeboard. After several attempts....here's what happened!



Hope you all had a great 4th! We did!

Are you prepared to draw closer?

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

We’ll – I promised you something on being “intentional.” Unfortunately, life’s circumstances force us to adapt every now and then. This is one of those times.

Very early this past Sunday morning, Roger Davis was killed in a car accident in Camden. Most of you didn’t know Roger. Truth be know, I didn’t really know him either. However, I’ve known his dad, Rusty, since I was a teenager. I’ve known his uncle, Jimmy, since I was old enough to walk, and – to this day – count him and his wife, Amanda, as some of my closet friends. I’ve know Roger’s aunts and uncles and nieces and nephews. I’ve known Roger’s grandparents, Murray and Virginia (or – as I’ve always known them - “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”) over half of their life and all of mine. They’ve always treated me as part of their family and welcomed me into their home. I can’t think of anyone that embodies “family” anymore than they do.

So why has this tragedy affected me more than most others? In particular, why do I hurt for someone that I really didn’t know?

Part of my hurt is for his family. I know them well. Roger's grandparents have been married for 66 years. 96 children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren make up the their family tree. In all those years of marriage, Roger’s death is the first death in the family.

I hurt for Rusty and Jean, for Jimmy and Amanda and for Mr. and Mrs. Smith in particular – I love them dearly, and can’t imagine what they’re going through right now.

Finally, I hurt for those that will reject Christ during this difficult time. When faced with up-close, personal, human tragedy – the loss of a loved one, for example – people are often faced with a choice. Will they draw closer to God, or will the push away? It’s easy to say “I’ll draw closer…” when it’s not personal – when it’s about someone else other than me. But what about when it’s in your face? When it’s about you?

We’ll all face that choice one day. Are you prepared to draw closer?