Yes, the rumors are true. I can confirm I was indeed left speechless earlier this month — not only once but twice. Many were shocked to witness the historic events.
Editor Bob Terry and The Alabama Baptist staff get all the credit as they found a way to surprise me with a feature article and a party celebrating my 20th anniversary with Alabama’s state Baptist newspaper. And if that weren’t special enough, I also received calls, emails, letters, texts, Facebook posts, tweets, video messages, gifts and personal appearances by friends and family from various parts of the state, across the nation and around the world.
It is still hard for me to believe all of that was done for me. I remain speechless and thank all of you for honoring me the way you did.
I know that finding me speechless once, much less several times, is hard to believe, especially for the number of you who referred to my “gift of gab” in the notes you wrote. And you know me well, I do like to talk — a lot.
But 2016 has discovered a more contemplative version of me so far. Along with the celebratory moments, another anniversary struck other emotions.
Marking the date
January 17 marked one year since my young niece and goddaughter Belle Mitchell left us for heaven (to read more about her cancer journey, visit “Snapshots of Belle” at www.rashionalthoughts.com).
It is true what the grief experts say — you do adapt and learn to live without the person you are missing — but the ache of missing him or her lives on. I’m not sure I realized the degree of how much I missed Belle would actually increase with time but it is happening. I find myself continually needing a hug from her, wanting desperately to hear her laugh and/or wishing for one more silly moment with her.
Still I hold on to what others have shared with me — each day we live is one day closer to being with her again. And each day we have an opportunity to do great things for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We can choose to tackle each day and make a difference for the Kingdom or we can fall into a pit and let the enemy convince us we are not able to keep moving.
Believe me, I’ve fallen into the pit a few times and some days I might have been easily convinced to stay there, but every time a friend or family member came along and pulled me out, reminding me to keep my eyes on Jesus.
Again, I am overwhelmed with the love surrounding me, and I am convicted to not take it for granted or overlook others who might slip past our gaze and be falling further and further into their own pit.
The lyrics in Sidewalk Prophets’ “Save My Life” touch on this point:
“… You come here every Friday night; I take your order and try to be polite; And hide what I’ve been going through;
If you looked me right in the eye; Would you see the pain deep inside; Would you take the time to;
Tell me what I need to hear; Tell me that I’m not forgotten; Show me there’s a God. …”
Belle taught me how to love unconditionally (consistently showing grace, mercy and forgiveness while also showing others there is a God), live life to its fullest (despite the obstacles that undoubtedly will appear in your path) and laugh as much as possible (even amid the pain and fear). She knew how to celebrate life — and I want to be like Belle when I grow up.
Rashional Extras
How to know God more
Excerpt from the soon-to-be-released book “I Don’t Wait Anymore: Letting Go of Expectations and Grasping God’s Adventure for You” by Grace Thornton
The only step is to come to the Word with open hands and a heart of desire, and from there God begins to rewrite our miniscule view of Him into something grandiose. Revelation enlarges our hearts for God, shaves off the burden of the worldly things we dream of. The more we drop, the higher we can hold our empty hands.
Here are a few practices that have helped me along the way. … It’s not a formula but it is a place to start.
- Spend time with God. There’s no way around this one.
- Find your own rhythm. It’s not about legalism, but it is about discipline — we care enough to set aside the time and the effort to get to know the God of the universe.
- Read. Read lots. And then read some more. It’s vital that we read from the perspective that we’re going to learn more about who God is, not read a guidebook to our lives. It was always meant to be about God, not us. But learning who He is — and learning what His love looks like — changes everything about us. … (We also need to understand) why God did what He did at that time and place.
- Find a structure that works for you. There are methods and plans and all kinds of helps out there to provide structure for Bible reading. … For me the thing that’s been most effective is a plan that has me reading in several different places in the Bible at one time, with a little bookmark for each section. If I want to read something from all of the sections, I can, or if I want to only read one and really meditate on it and pray over it for a long time that day, I can. That way I’m always moving forward but never falling behind, and I never feel like I have to frantically catch up.
- Let the words soak in. Give yourself the time and space to read a passage, re-read it verse by verse, let the words soak into your mind and heart. Let the truth wash over you in a way that it sticks. Memorize verses and passages that speak needed truth to your soul.
- Journal, if you like. I write what God is teaching me, I write verses that jump out at me and sometimes I write out my prayers.
- Talk with others. Even though our relationship with God is really personal, it also was meant to be lived in community. In talking about what God’s teaching us in His Word, we sharpen each other.
EDITOR’S NOTE — “I Don’t Wait Anymore: Letting Go of Expectations and Grasping God’s Adventure for You” by Grace Thornton will be released May 10. Visit http://tinyurl.com/gthornton2016 to preorder your copy.
I’m convinced we all experience a mixture of successes and failures in life. We’ve been encouraged to think positively (but also to) persevere despite failures.
The language of failure is often inaccurate and sometimes hurtful.
We say, “This is the worst thing that could ever happen,” but it’s probably not. Or we say, “This must be God’s will.” However, I’ve found the will of God more crystal clear in retrospect. And we say, “I’ll never get over this.” But God gives us resiliency and as Chuck Swindoll famously said, “We grow strong at the broken places.”
Failure need not be final. Mother Teresa once noted that failure is “the kiss of Jesus.” I think she must’ve had in mind how failure teaches us we’re vulnerable, gives us compassion for others and motivates us to seek the resources of God.
As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “For when I am weak, then I am strong — the less I have the more I depend on Him.”
Michael J. Brooks
Pastor, Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster
@philwaldrep
Our choices in the future can be better than many of our choices in the past.
@kevindownes
Life is like sailing after all. You can use any wind to go in any direction! Just adjust your sails. #life
“Leadership is all about risk taking. If you are too risk averse, you won’t go anywhere.”
Michael Hyatt: Your Virtual Mentor
michaelhyatt.com
“Being a disciple of Jesus means more than just believing in Jesus. A disciple wants to learn from the Master in order to live and love like the Master. The disciplines of the Christian life are those practices which shape us into the likeness of Christ. They begin to shape our conduct, influence our priorities and determine our character. The Bible describes us as the clay which is formed by the Potter.”
Pastor Darrell Cook
Dogwood Grove Baptist Church, Adger
Excerpt from his “A Certain Trumpet” column on prayer in the Jan. 14 issue of The Alabama Baptist
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