Lead By Serving

This was a post that I started writing last Monday on my iPhone.  While writing it, it suddenly disappeared and has only now reappeared that I logged into blogger on my computer.  So here it is, but imagine it being posted a week ago.

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My home church in Waynesboro is currently without a regular custodian on staff. In essence, there's no one to do the "dirty work." On my way to get lunch today, I drove by the church and saw someone on his hands and knees in the bushes with piles of weeds beside him. In fact, there were several piles of weeds all down the sidewalk. He must have been weeding and fixing up the landscaping all morning. I realized that the man was a deacon and a leader the church. Even though he was a leader, he took the time out of his day (and it probably took hours) to do a task that nobody really would want to do. That's what a true leader does.
Last summer during CentriKid camp training, Lance, Lifeway's Childhood Events Director, shared a story with us about Dan Cathy, Chickfila's CEO.  Apparently, it is not unusual to find Dan in the cafeteria of CFA Corporate serving his employees by cleaning up their trays and seeing how they are doing.  As the leader of a huge corporation, he could easily sit in his expensive office and never seen another employee, but he takes time out of his day to serve others.
If a leader just sits at the head of a table and barks orders at those who are lower than he or she is while never getting his or her hands dirty, the chances are that he or she is probably not a very effective leader.
That's what the leader in my home church did. He probably never meant to be recognized and definitely did not want to, but he was just their to serve his congregation.
In fact, that's what Christ did, and we should follow his example.

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark 10:45

My Plans Never Work

Hello Blog-land,
It's been about two weeks since I posted. That's because I basically slept an entire week that I was home, and then went to my other home at Mississippi College to catch up with people there. Overall, I haven't really missed London yet because I am having so much fun being with the people I love.
I learned a lot while I was in London. Even more than academically, I feel like I learned a lot about myself and that my faith grew exponentially while I was over there.  I'm only really started to see what all God did in my life in the past three months now that I'm home and have time to reflect. With that said, it hasn't exactly been an easy transition back to "real life."  However, I am very grateful that God is using that transition to a.) reinforce the things he taught me in London and b.) to teach me some new things.
I'll share a short story about something that has been on my mind tonight...okay, all weekend...okay...most of the week, and that God is using to teach me some cool things. Forgive me if I'm a little vague in places during this, but I will try to be as transparent as possible.
I'm a planner. I've even blogged about it several times how it is hard for me to let go of planning things and trust that God is control. I know this, and I'm just thankful he keeps reminding me of it.
Long story cut WAY short:  Before I went to London, I was planning on doing something when I got back. (Okay...it might have been dealing with a girl.) But anyway, London happened and while I was there, my plan suddenly was stopped. So God used that to teach me to be happy where I was at that moment and keep trusting in His plan for me. Easy enough. I learned and grew big time hanging onto that truth. Well, now I'm home and back in the MC world. One of the things that happened this week was that I was reminded why I made that original plan in the first place. But, it could still not happen. That was on my mind several times this past week, and God just keeps using it to remind me that He is in control and that my trust in Him must continue to strengthen each day for the rest of my life. So who knows if my plan will ever happen?  If it doesn't, it doesn't matter. God has a plan me just like He has a plan for you. And if you plan isn't working out right now, it's because God wants your focus elsewhere so one day He can show you a better plan that you could ever have imagined. So when you don't get that job, don't get to go to that event, or even if the girl you like says no to a date, don't worry. God's plan is better than your plan.

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Provers 19:21

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9

Recreation Rocks the Nation

As a kid, I did not like being outside. The idea of going outside and running around was not a good idea to me.  I would have much rather just stayed inside and drew something or made a movie with my video camera.  That kind of carried on throughout my life, until this past summer.
As a team leader at CentriKid, the main duties are to lead a Bible Study, a track time, and..you guessed it..recreation. When I first got my rec manual, I was terrified.  How in the world is a guy who never enjoyed recreation going to be excited about it and lead kids in it? Spending about an hour and a half a day having high energy and leading games in the 100 degree Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, and Maryland heat sounded about as much fun as a..well..something not that fun. I really went into last summer dreading the idea of recreation.
That quickly changed....Week 1 of camp. I had an amazing group of kids, and since it was a small camp, each team leader had a partner. My partner was the amazing Brittany Denson who was an all-star at camp. Our first day of rec, we took turns leading the games. As we ran onto the rec field with our kids, I took a deep breath and prayed to God that he would get me through it.
Brittany led the first game and I immediately noticed something: the same kids that were not paying attention during Bible study that morning were all of a sudden alert and listening to every word Brittany said about the game.  They were the most responsive and willing to play.  At CentriKid, everything has a connection to Christ, so every game is "debriefed" which means that we tie it in to a scriptural emphasis. Those same kids who were staring into space during Bible study were answering questions and really "getting it" during recreation.
That's when I knew why recreation was so important. Even though it wasn't exactly my forte, I saw how God used it to reach kids (and even adult leaders) who loved it and understood things through the games. Whether it was learning how God took care of them by playing a game involving birds (Matt. 6:26) or seeing how Jesus is the only way to be with God through a soccer-like game (John 14:6), God is all up in recreation at camp.
Going into camp last year, I was dreading leading recreation.  Going into camp this year, I cannot wait to get on that rec field and see God work. It's not just games, it's ministry.

Special thanks to Gustavo Pacheco for all the awesome rec pics from this summer (I actually stole all of these from his Facebook).  This brother has awesome camp pictures.

Watch Out World... I just downloaded an app

I admire people that blog often and have really cool posts related to their lives. One blog like this is Jeremy Echols' blog on Posterous. (www.coachechols.com). A few months ago, I tried blogging more but it just was too inconvenient having to log into my computer each time.
I have just discovered that Blogspot finally made an app since I left the country. This may be bad news for everyone, because there's a pretty good chance that I may start blogging daily. Okay, you know me, I probably won't, but hopefully this app will make my blogging life more efficient and frequent.

This is my first week in London.

Okay not really. It's not my first week here, it's my last week here. With studying, and finals, and packing, and missing friends, it is already starting to become overwhelming and stressful.   I've been trying to study this morning, which means that my mind is everywhere else! I've done a lot of thinking. I have done so much in the past three months and have gotten to see so many amazing things.  But somewhere over those three months, it seems as if living in London has lost its "specialness."  It no longer amazes me to be walking down the street and suddenly see Big Ben or St. Paul peek over a building!
I suppose that's completely normal when you live in a place for three months. But I don't want it to be normal. Even though this is the last week here, I'm going to look at everything like it is the first time I've ever seen it. Despite having finals and getting ready to go home, I want to appreciate everything little thing.  I don't want to take any second of the next week for granted, from walking past the Queen's mansion to getting on the tube to go my favorite park. I know I'm going to miss every detail about London, so I'm going to take advantage of it while I can!
Yes, this is going to feel like my first week in London again.

Let me call you sweetheart...

If there’s one thing that is awesome about Shawreth (and let’s get real---I think there are a lot of things awesome about Shawreth), it’s our sweethearts.  

These girls are the honorary female members of our men’s club (bless their hearts). I don’t think they could ever know how much they mean to the 65 guys in Shawreth. They bring some fresh air to our man-stank, put up with rowdy things like chairs being thrown, always are there to give advice, and even sometimes make cookies. But while all of those things are awesome, the reason they are the best is because each one of them is an example to us of what a true woman of God is supposed to be.  My time in Shawreth would not be nearly the same without Kathryn, Holly, Erin, and Whitney and what they mean to my life!

Now is an extra-exciting time in Shawreth, because last night at formal, the freshmen class announced the new Shawreth sweetheart: Anne Marie Parke! 

(I stole this picture from Caroline Wyatt's Facebook...thanks!)

 The decision on who is to be sweetheart is never taken lightly.  So much prayer and thought goes into the process.  Without a doubt, Anne Marie is the girl that God chose to bring into our club, and we couldn’t be happier about it!  Welcome to Shawreth!

Thank you, Holly, Erin, Whitney and Anne Marie and what you mean in the lives of the guys of Shawreth!

(thanks to Chesney Tedder for the last two pictures)