derrickhurst.org

living for eternity today

Page 32 of 130

A year in review

December 27, 2021 / / 0 Comments
2021 Year in Review | HCPLC

Something I like to do at the end of each year is look back and see where we’ve been. Some of what follows is more personal while other parts are more general and I believe can apply to most of us. But none of this is intended to be depressing! As a matter of fact the point of this year in review is to see what we can learn about ourselves and the community around us. So buckle up for a trip down short-term memory lane.

Ok so we start with calling out the elephant in the room. The year for some flat sucked. And for others it was ok. But I don’t think many people experienced a banner year. That’s a pretty big overgeneralization, but I think it applies to most of the population. From constant guessing about what’s next to trying to figure out how to stay healthy to keeping the income more then the expenses has proven to be challenging to many Americans.

The year started off with many of us trying to get back to normal, or as close to it as possible. We quickly figured out that what normal means for one person isn’t the same as normal for the next. Enter 3 issues that I feel summarize this year.

Is mutual respect still a thing?

So this is going to sound negative but stick with me for a second. One thing the last year+ has taught us is that mutual respect isn’t really something we can all agree on. It depends on where we get our information, what we believe to be real, whose opinion we actually value, and who our true friends are. This year has tested all of these ideals. And the challenge we have faced in 2021 was to not let these differing opinions divide us.

Something that we’ve all seen this year has been the walk away or lash out methods. It’s heartbreaking to see family and friends disagree on something, then let that disagreement lead to division. We can have fun rivalries in sports, why not in other areas of life? We have thick skin with some topics, so why has 2021 thinned our skin so badly? I really think it’s an issue of respect. We want someone else to respect us but we’re not as willing to humble ourselves to let someone else have an opinion that’s different than ours.

A token to take into a new year is to watch our reactions. Think before you speak or act. It’s easy to yell at someone or virtually erase them when they say something we don’t agree with. It’s easy to talk behind their back and belittle them. But it takes maturity to open up and welcome an honest and heartfelt disagreement. Then walk away as friends who see things differently.

We’re all going to die…eventually

I get it no one wants to talk about it but it’s true. We can’t live our lives in fear and that’s unfortunately what I have seen a lot of the past 12 months. No this is not a political or even a simply health related statement. Just look at how we react when storms are predicted. If we get word that a snow storm is coming, we rush to the store to get all the batteries, water and bread we can find. This past year has seen some shortages of products on shelves in part because when bad news spills into the airwaves we jump to fear mode.

Something to take with us into the new year is to find a place where you can grab ahold of hope. For some it’s in their loving family. For others it’s found in their friendships. For me and many like me that hope is found in my relationship with Jesus. Not everyone is a person of faith but I can attest personally to the fact that when my faith seems less, my fear increases.

Surround yourself with people who can encourage you. If you have a group like this, know you are blessed tremendously! Don’t be so easily offended when one of your encouragers actually puts the screws down and challenges you. If you can’t take challenge from a friend, then you might have your hope in the wrong place.

Way more good has happened if you just open your eyes.

Have you ever purchased a new to you vehicle? Then you realize that everyone in the world drives the same car! I remember getting my Black Ram 1500. Then I realized three of my neighbors had very similar trucks. You tend to see what you feel most closely.

The challenge we’ve faced in 2021 has been a product of our society lusting after scandal and fear and the whole sex sells mentality. If there’s bad news or a juicy story, you better believe that will flood the social streams! And when that’s what fills our minds, that’s all our eyes will see. As we move into a new year, we have the chance to change what our minds see. We have the ability to alter what we put into our minds so that our eyes can actually focus on something totally different than scandal and all the negative floating around.

As a person of faith, one thing I like to do is join members of the church I serve in reading the bible. We read the whole New Testament in 2021 and it helped so many people! In 2022, we’re doing another reading plan but this time it will be a more chronological approach to the Bible. We’ll read a little bit from all over the Bible in order of how it would have happened. We’ll leave out some of the parts that are, well harder to get through. The point will be to fill our minds with the things we want our eyes to see.

So all in all the year 2021 wasn’t the best of my 45 years to be certain. I suffered loss in areas of my life that I never would have predicted. But the true blessing of 2021 was that something happened in my heart that made me appreciate the simplicity of certain moments. What used to really irritate me, doesn’t seem to take the same toll. I’ve been able to see the people who are really there for me to support, encourage and challenge me. I’ve also been able to see the ones that aren’t. They each hold a special place in my life. I wouldn’t be who I am without the disagreements, encouragement, challenge, support, accountability, and camaraderie of so many. Thanks for a great year in 2021 and I can’t wait to see what new things God has in store for us in 2022!

Pains and Joys of the Holidays

December 24, 2021 / / 0 Comments

The past couple of years have been challenging in many ways. For me personally they’ve been marked by some significant losses. My grandparents both ended their multi year battle with Alzheimer’s disease within a year of each other. Some friends have moved on to new endeavors. Other friends have remained but grown distant at best. Reactions to how we operate in life have caused division within the extended family. I’ve had to bring hard news to some churches that are struggling and even to a couple that weren’t really struggling. I even had the honor and sadness of sending my son off to serve in the US Army. This year has been a pretty challenging year if that’s all I look at, but there’s more. There’s always more.

While each of these parts of life this year have been challenging in and of themselves, together they have been like a weight that was hard to carry at times. From sadness, to denial, to even a few brushes with some depressing thoughts this has been hard to navigate and at times felt impossible to get through.

I know first hand that celebrating during the holidays when loved ones aren’t there is hard. Believe me we haven’t celebrated Christmas the way we used to for years with my grandparents condition slipping with every passing day. But this year will be so different because neither will be there. Not even that silly dazed look my grandpa used to give when he didn’t know what was going on but still wanted to be part of the group.

But if all we see is what we’ve lost then we’re really losing more every day.

Take time this season to reflect on the pain. Embrace it. Pain is real. Loss is legit. But don’t stay there. You have to look beyond the loss to what you have right in front of you. Losing people you care about hurts, but sometimes it allows you to better care for the ones who are still with you.

Maybe the best way to cope with the pains of the holidays is to love through the hurt. Let the people you’re near know the pain you’re feeling. Let them bring a little smile to your face and happiness to your heart.

But if you’re a Jesus follower, I need to remind you that this season isn’t about family or friends. It’s not about the emotions we like to fill ourselves with during the holidays. Christmas is about the birth of Christ. When we keep our focus in the right place even the deepest hurt, those gaping emotional wounds, the losses, the fears, the feelings of betrayal and loneliness – all of it is real but manageable.

Friends I want nothing less than for you to have a very Merry Christmas. I want you to hold the ones you love, the ones who really care about you are still there. The ones who’ve been taken away by illness and death are where they need to be for this season. The joy of Christmas for you and me is found in the Prince of Peace who calms our fears. The Everlasting Father who embraces us with loving arms when others leave us to fend for ourselves. The Wonderful Counselor who brings reminders of joy and hope and love to our Christmas pains. The joy of Christmas is found in our Mighty God who has power over all things. He can and will be present in your pain and lead you to a place where real joy can be found.

Merry Christmas to one and all as you watch your sadness turn to joy in the morning.

Terrifying Statistics

December 23, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Be kind to your pastors. I know that many of you are just that, extremely kind and generous to your pastors. And to those I have the privilege of doing ministry with you are beyond kind and generous, so I thank you! But the reality is like every profession, Pastors are struggling and according to the studies it seems their struggle is impacting them more than we realized.

Through the last 20+ months many studies have been done on the great resignation and transitions in life and work. But there have also been targeted studies dealing with specific occupations, including pastors. The most recent study shows that pastors are hurting…bad!

The shocking statistic shows that nationwide over 38% of pastors are or have been contemplating leaving their position. And to make that even more real the research broke that out to pastors from mainline denominations where the number skyrocketed to 51% of pastors contemplating leaving! That’s scary!

Now before we get all suck it up buttercup, which is my normal reaction to things like this, we have to understand the landscape a bit. As pastors, we were not trained on how to lead and do ministry in a divisive context. We were not given the tools and resources on how to handle real relationships in congregations that we thought were strong implode overnight. We are not financial gurus. We are not perfect husbands and fathers. We are not superbly gifted in leadership or administration. For some reason many pastors act as if this whole church thing is a competition or something. We are taught, albeit implicitly, that growing churches with good finances and clear discipleship growth is a sign of healthy leadership and good biblical teaching. If we’re not seeing these things then are we really doing our jobs right?

I have to tell you these are dangerous places to sit!

If you’ve made it this far and you’re not a pastor, this one is for you. What can you do? Encourage your pastor. I don’t mean give them gifts, but real encouragement. Not just a good sermon pastor comment on the way out the door. Share a story of how the bible came to life in your week. Tell of the struggles you’re facing as you seek to apply the biblical teaching to your job as a teacher or trash collector or physician. Ask them questions about things you don’t understand in your daily devotional life. Show up! Seriously, a great source of encouragement for your pastor is to just be present. Be present in worship. Be present in bible class. Be present in service to those around you in your congregation and community. Be present in sharing your faith story with those around you.

Look pastors it’s going to be hard. And if I’m being honest, and not some negative Nancy, it’s going to get worse. I know that doesn’t sound very encouraging. But stick with me. The one thing you can do to break through this time of challenge and desire to quit is to realize what you’re actually here to do.

Your God-given mission is not to grow the church. Your call is not to build a bigger building or call another staff member. Your goal isn’t to get your members back in church or to make all the right decisions. Your call has nothing to do with balancing a budget. These are all good things and things to work toward, but they are not the main thing.

We are called to do two things: preach and administer God’s good gifts (sacraments). Really and truly that’s what we’re here to do. We are here to give away to our churches and communities everyday the wonderful message of how grace conquered sin, death and hell. We are called to make sure the gifts of baptism and communion are present as often as possible and that those who come participate in these gifts know what they are and why they are of value.

If I can give you any encouragement brothers it is this. You’re not in this alone so stop acting like it. Whether you’re in a mainline denomination or a nondenominational setting, there are thousands of us called by God to bring the joy of Christ to the world around us. Reach out to another pastor. Confide in your leadership. Share your struggles and your successes. It’s ok to celebrate the wins no matter how small! It’s ok to mourn the losses no matter the size. Reach out to someone if you’re struggling. Pray with your people. Know that we’re in this together, so reach out and we’ll share the burdens of ministry together.

Stay the course my friends. Reach out if you need some encouragement and coaching. I’m always here.

A Message of Hope This Year

December 22, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Hope is often found in unlikely places.

It’s no secret at all. The last two years have been harder than many of us could have imagined. We have dealt with trials that we only thought existed in books. It’s felt at times in these past 22 months like we’re living in some alternate, sci-fi reality world. No matter what field you’re in, this has not be easy and many are giving up hope. I wanted to share with you a little bit about how we can remain hopeful when it seems all hope is lost.

Now admittedly the idea for this post came from an article I read but the content included is my own. So credit for the idea goes elsewhere. Thank you to whomever wrote the article and I don’t even remember where I read it!

In the book of 2 Corinthians in the Bible, Paul writes about navigating times of challenge and trial. And while this passage does not directly apply to our current situation is does speak to the reality in which we are living. Here’s the passage:

We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 CSB

Pressed but not crushed

I know the feeling of being pressed down fairly hard. Circumstances of life can really weigh a person down. This year is probably one of the hardest many of us have experienced. The weight of the holidays combined with the pressures of how different people react to illness and vaccines is really causing trouble in so many places.

But the passage tells us that as followers of Jesus, we should expect to be pressed but know that the pressing will not crush us. I think of it like pressing grapes or squeezing an orange. The good stuff of grapes and oranges is found on the inside. And without the external pressures of hardship and squeezing, we’d never have great things like orange juice or even wine. Could God be doing the same thing for you?

It’s not fun to think about being pressed by any means, but when you realize the pressing is to bring about something even better it makes things more manageable. Your hope is found in that while pressed you will not be crushed.

Perplexed but not in despair

Perplexed. Such a fun word. It simply means to be baffled or puzzled. Have you felt perplexed the last couple of years? I know that I sure have! Some days I don’t know which way is up. It’s hard to know if your words and actions will make someone happy or if it will thoroughly upset someone.

The idea behind being perplexed is that we are thrown off of our normal. We get confused. In and of itself, being perplexed is not a bad thing. It’s how we deal with the perplexing feelings that makes a difference. All too often the feelings of being perplexed lead to despair. When we don’t know where we are, it’s hard to know where we are going. And as leaders it can easily lead to despair when we aren’t able to know where we’re headed or even where we even are! The hope here is that God promises that being perplexed doesn’t have to lead to despair. When we find our truth and our way in Christ, we can remain hope-filled even in the most perplexing times of life.

Persecuted but not abandoned

This is one I hear far too often here in the USA. We act as if our inconveniences are persecutions. While that is true to a greater or lesser degree, we have to make sure we keep this in context. We are not persecuted when you compare how we have thing to how people are treated around the world.

But even if you happen to be reading this in a part of the world where persecution is real and dangerous and on a scale that much of the world can’t understand this promise is for you too. You can have hope knowing that even if life is dangerous and we are truly being persecuted for our faith, God is present. He is with us through it all. He won’t take away the pressure or persecution but he will be with us through it all. He’ll stand beside us to give us the aide we need to get through the trials of life. We are not abandoned.

So the long and short of the challenges we face is that they are not the end of the world. They are there to point us to how amazing and wonderful God is. He’s faithful. He’s present. He’s protecting us in ways we don’t even see. Stay strong friends. Rely on the power of the ever present God to get you through.

A Different Perspective

December 20, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This year for the season leading up to Christmas, a time churches call Advent, we’ve been focusing on the events of the first Christmas from the perspective of those who would have been there. I know that this takes some conjecture and a little creativity but we stayed as close to the text of the Bible as possible. The portions that are made of some level of conjecture are less than relevant to the topic at hand.

Each of these messages was simply intended to make us slow down as we run rampant this time of year. We focused on Zechariah. He was Mary’s uncle. He really doesn’t play much of a role in the events on Christmas morning but his story is impactful as we set the stage for what’s about to happen. His lesson was one of pure grace. He was invited into an epic journey and even though he didn’t believe it right away, he experienced what amazing grace felt like in real time.

Then we moved to Mary. She’s well known for so many reasons. As we looked at her part of the journey, we saw just how God has a tendency to interrupt our humdrum lives. We have a statement around church, Men plan but God laughs. Well in this case, she planned a wedding with Joseph then starting a family, but God had other plans. He wanted her to have a child and obediently go where he told her to go.

The third character of the nativity story was Joseph. He’s an unsung hero. No lines to speak. No role beyond the first few chapters of the account of Jesus’ birth. He didn’t want to shame Mary even though he thought she was guilty of something awful. His is a story of being so close to God that he was able to let God lead him off the script of his planned life and into an amazing future as the earthly dad of the son of God.

Week four was the shepherds. They’re on the scene shortly after the birth of Jesus but really don’t have a lot to offer. Their part of the story is more what God did through them and for them than what they did for Jesus. The real important part of their story is who they were or in this case who they weren’t. Not important. Not popular. Not socially acceptable even really. Yet God chose them as the first audience to the birth of His only Son.

Below are the messages cut from these services. I pray you are able to see Christmas through a new set of lenses as you peak into the manger from the perspective of one of these characters.

The Great Resignation

November 30, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Blog: The myths around quitting your job — People Matters

It’s no secret and not a political statement whatsoever, but people are leaving jobs at alarming rates. They’re just not feeling satisfied or fulfilled in the current situation. Some are leaving because they believe a better thing is over the horizon, even though they do not have that better thing locked down yet. Whatever the reason, the departure of key people in an organization can take its toll pretty rapidly. But there are a few things leaders can do to take the pressure off of those who remain.

Don’t be a cry baby.

Ok so I’m not trying to be mean here but far too often we gripe and complain when things don’t go our way. We whine that someone hurt our feelings. We blame others for what in reality we played a significant role in making happen.

Look none of us picked to live or lead through a challenging time like 2020 and 2021, but honestly we don’t have a choice. I’ve been known to give a good suck it up buttercup line every once in a while, and I know it seems harsh and uncaring to say it. But in reality we were built for such a time as this. The longer we spend complaining about what’s not going right, the harder it will be to see the great opportunities right in front of us. Mourn the loss but do it while you’re moving forward.

Make a decision already!

I’m not a huge fan of waffling. I like to eat waffles but can’t stand waffling in decision making. I know some decisions are huge and require time to think, pray and gather insight from friends and family. But if you’re truly honest with yourself, the longer you wait the harder the decision becomes. Additionally, in most cases we already have our minds made up. We know what we’re going to do, we’re just afraid to actually pull the trigger.

I’m going to be totally honest here. Indecision and momentum rarely coexist. You can’t move forward if you can’t make a decision. If you’re not able to make that hard call, then surround yourself with people who can help you make wise decisions. If you just can’t bring yourself to do the hard thing you know needs done, then bring someone on board in your life who can nudge you gently in the direction you need to go. NOTE: this nudging, no matter how gentle will feel like they’re beating the crap out of you but they really are most likely being very gentle. Just start small and move in the direction. It’s far easier to make corrective action when you’re moving than when you’re sitting still.

Keep your chin up.

This summer my son left for basic training in the United States Army. Before he left, I told him to keep his chin up and his nose clean. The nose clean business is basically don’t do anything stupid and stay out of trouble. But the chin up was very intentional. One of the things that happens a lot in life is that we let situations around us bring us down. When my son left he was sad to leave home and everything he knew. He was scared and didn’t know what to expect. Chin up son. Keep focusing ahead on what’s coming.

Friend, I know life likely isn’t what you planned or expected or even hoped for just a couple short years ago. I know things come at you at lightning speed and catch you off guard. I know that you have to make decisions that you really don’t want to make. I also know very well that other people’s decisions will impact you whether you like it or not. But keep your chin up because brighter days are coming.

It’s been a theme in life for me the past 15 years or so that something will catch me off guard and I’ll stumble a bit. The longer I look at the problem the worse I feel. The longer I think of the thing or person that caused hurt, the bigger and all consuming that problem becomes and the more it impacts everything else. But sometimes you just have to chin up and see beyond the present moment. When we lift our chins we can see past our feet and over the hill to the horizon. It’s there that we find hope and future. Don’t get stuck gazing at your toes! They won’t tell you what’s coming.

Keep moving. Keep looking ahead. Keep taking one small step after another. It’ll be alright.

Turning Coal Into Diamonds

November 16, 2021 / / 0 Comments

There is an old rumor, thanks to Superman, that you could apply the right amount of pressure to a lump of coal and it would turn that dusty lump into a sparkling diamond with perfect cut lines and immense value. The problem is that scientifically speaking that’s not exactly how that would work. Turning coal into diamonds isn’t really as plausible as our famed superhero would want us to believe. That said, I think there’s a greater analogy at play here than real coal and diamonds.

Imagine for a moment doing something so awful, so atrocious, so hurtful to someone that you couldn’t even imagine seeing that person face to face. Imagine how you would feel. Consider how worthless you’d feel especially knowing how much that person cared for you and loved you. This is a story that actually is found in the Bible. Oddly enough it’s a story that many of us can relate, whether we want to or not.

The story goes like this. A man named Peter is a good friend with Jesus. He follows him around and mimics his words and actions. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery you know. Well one day Peter decides to punch Jesus in the face by telling everyone he sees that he doesn’t even know Jesus. He denies him. Flat out denies him! After all that Jesus had done for Peter, he just leaves him there with no one to help him.

But fast forward in the story and you see Jesus reach back out to Peter a week or so later. Not only does Jesus not remind Peter of his past denial, but he even gives him a job. Not a crappy job either! It was a good job. A well respected position to be sure. But what’s more is what that job entailed.

You see it was Peter’s mouth that got him in trouble by denying Jesus. And the job that Jesus has for Peter is to use his, yep you guessed it, his mouth to actually defend and speak well of Jesus. This is pretty cool stuff if you think about it.

Jesus in a way was taking the coal of Peter’s denial and lies and turning them into the most amazingly perfect diamond you would ever see. So while the myth of coal to diamonds might be debunked by science, the reality is God can turn the coal of our bad choices into something far greater than diamonds if we just trust him.

River of Life

November 8, 2021 / / 0 Comments

The past several weeks at the church I serve, we’ve been focusing on an idea called forgiveness. It’s a pretty cool idea if I’m being honest. Forgiveness has two definitions and we’ve really spent some considerable time looking at both sides.

The first side of forgiveness deals with canceling a debt. When you have a debt forgiven it means that you no longer are responsible for the debt. The second side of forgiveness has to do with the emotional aspect of things. It means healing the hurts and getting rid of the anger and resentment that comes when we are offended by someone.

It’s funny how life sometimes just gives you a theme song for what you’re going through in a given season of life. Well this one is it. As I was driving on a recent trip to chat with another past a few hours away, a song popped on the radio that caused me to pay a little more attention. The song is called River of Life.

Now I’ll be honest, I had never heard the song nor have I heard of the artist to my knowledge. And the title of the song didn’t really speak to me at first. The tune was catchy but the words came out of nowhere and really spoke to the series we are in the middle of currently.

The idea is pretty simple. The River of Life isn’t one with banks and shores and water and sand. It’s the river of forgiveness that flows into our lives by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. I hope you take a few minutes to listen to the song and realize that you too are washed in the river of life.

To Be Forgiven Is To Forgive

November 3, 2021 / / 0 Comments

We’re doing a really cool thing at the church I serve called The Forgiving Challenge. It’s cool because it’s super simple. It’s cool because it’s outlined well and yet remains flexible to be applied to our context. It’s cool because it’s resulting in some fun stories and new relationships across the members of the church.

The idea is simple. Forgiven people forgive people. The more you realize your own need for forgiveness, the more likely you’ll be to offer that to someone else. If you’re holding a grudge or some bitterness in your heart towards someone, then you’re starving yourself of realizing the full benefit of forgiveness.

This week we spent time with the word forgive. We talked about its definition according to culture and how that is only half the picture. We discussed what forgiveness costs us and what it cost Jesus on our behalf.

Think of it this way, for you to forgive someone of a hurt they did to you, you’ll need to let a part of you die. The part of you that’s all twisted with anger and hurt needs to be let go. In our time in church we looked at the things that remind us of our sin aren’t there to make us relive our sin but to relieve us of its weight.

Take time considering those people in your life against whom you might be holding a grudge or with whom you might be holding bitterness in your heart. Sacrifice a piece of yourself by going out of your way to forgive, not necessarily because they are worth forgiving but because you didn’t earn your forgiveness. So if you’ve been forgiven and didn’t earn it, you should probably give that same forgiveness to those around you (even if they didn’t earn it in your eyes).

Do Not Run-away

November 3, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Well, it’s Wednesday and if you’re awake anywhere in the world, you undoubtedly know that life can sometimes be challenging. As a matter of fact the odds are pretty strong that you are having a bad day right now.

If you’re having a great day, then good for you! I pray it stays that way and that this might be helpful sometime down the road. If you’re in one of those rough slumps, then I want to encourage you to keep going.

There are a couple different natural reactions to challenge in life. We call them fight or flight typically. The one is to rise above and push hard to bull your way through a challenging ordeal. The other is probably more typical, and it involves walking away and never looking back.

While the fight or flight methods are generally applied across the board in a variety of scenarios, there is a stark reality that we rarely consider when it comes to running away from our struggles or from those situations that are hard for us. You can’t really run away. It just doesn’t work like that.

You cannot run away from your problems because you bring you with you wherever you go. Nine times out of ten, we play a significant role in the problem we’re trying to flee. And if we’re trying to get away from a problem that we’re part of, then it just won’t work. You can’t run away from yourself!

We love to push blame on other people when it comes to our problems. It’s always someone else’s fault. She said such and such. He wasn’t kind. But what if the issue is inside us? What if it’s not her words or his tone or their actions? What if the problem really is our predisposition to not be able to handle our own shortcomings?

I know it’s tempting to hit the road when challenges arise. I know that many feel this is the best way to handle things, but it really isn’t. It might get you away from the person you no longer want to be around. It might get you out of a situation that’s uncomfortable. But it won’t fix anything, because there’s a really good chance at least part of the ownership of the problem lies in you.

Take time to evaluate the real root of the problem. Take inventory of what role you played in the situation from which you’re trying to run. Pause to collect yourself. Then step back in with a cool head and honest heart. It’s the only way to make sure you don’t take the problem with you wherever you go.

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2024 derrickhurst.org

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑