How to Know if You are from Tennessee.

You know you’re from Tennessee if:
01. You measure distance in minutes.
02. You’ve ever had to switch from “heat” to “A/C” in the same day.
03. You use “fix” as a verb. Example: “I’m fixing to go to the store
04. All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.
05. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.
06. You know what a “VOL” is.
07. You carry jumper cables in your car…for your OWN car.
08. You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday
09. You find 100 degrees fahrenheit “a little warm”.
10. You know all four seasons: Almost Summer, Summer, still Summer and Christmas.
11. You know whether another Tennessean is from east, west or middle Tennessee as soon as they open their mouth.
12. Going to Wal-mart is a favorite past time known as”goin’ Wal-martin” or off to “Wally World”.
13. You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good pinto-bean weather.
14. A carbonated soft drink isn’t a soda, cola or pop…it’s a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor. Example: “What kinda coke you want?”
15. Fried catfish is the other white meat.

Thankfulness of Hope Community Church

Last Sunday I asked my family at Hope to list the things that they were thankful for and I was excited by the response of my brothers and sisters at Hope. I had to make a summary of everyone's list because of my two finger typing skills. Here are some of the things Hope Community Church are thankful for:

1. Many were thankful for their family in Christ (Hope) and for their immediate family which gives them the opportunity to serve Christ.
2. Many were thankful for their jobs especially in this tight economy.
3. Health also made the list many times,many were thankful for their health and their families health as well as living in a nation that has the best health care available. (especially those just returning from Africa)
4. Many were thankful to have a roof over their head and food in their house.
5. Many were thankful for the freedom we have even though there seems to be change in the wind.
6. A few were thankful for their pets and I can understand that, but not cats.
7. The one that everyone was so thankful for was the the greatest sacrifice that was ever made, Jesus that gave it all so that we could have a relationship with God and life and thankfulness.

I wanted to stop at seven the perfect number and I hope I have included everyone's list that I received. I to will agree with with everything on this list but I wanted to add one personal thanks and that is to You that make up Hope Community Church. You are part of the Body of Christ and I am thankful for your dedication to first God and then to Hope. You have been such a blessing in my life and my family's life and I hope that you know how much I truly appreciate you. This day I pray that God would bless you Hope Community Church and prepare us for the great things that He has in store for us. I Love You Guys, byron


Just thoughts from a sinner on his way home,

peace, byron

Lessons from a Cookie!

Just made it back home and what a trip. Still trying to process all that took place, but there was one experience that my room mate had that will sum up the people in Africa we serve. My Roomy (Jeff Kidd) was experiencing all the great wonders of Africa for the first time being his first visit. He had already told me that he really did not know what to expect, he just knew that God was going to do something special. We had a long day in the medical and we had taken a break to have something eat to get the energy level back, meaning chapati bread, peanut butter, and banana. (Some refer to this lunch as the white African burrito.) No matter it is really good. Jeff had finished his lunch and was having an Oreo cookie when he noticed a little girl standing close by. He offered her a cookie to which she took and then she did something he totally did not expect. She took the cookie over to 7 other children and broke the cookie into 8 pieces and then proceeded to give each child a piece of the cookie. Jesus said that we can be taught and led by a little child and after hearing and seeing the stories from the children of Africa I know what Jesus was talking about.Look around God may be wanting to teach you something today.

Just thoughts from a sinner on his way home,
peace, byron

To All Leaders!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Way of God
TGIF Today God Is First by Os Hillman
Wednesday, September 09 2009

"If My people would but listen to Me.... Psalm 81:13

God has a specific training ground for leaders. There are three patterns of preparation that have been common among most of God's leaders. First, there is a time when the leader is separated from his old life. Consider Moses, Joseph, Abraham, and Paul. In order for God to mold and shape them into His nature, it appears that He had to remove them from the life of comfort. A teacher once said, "You cannot go with God and remain where you are."

Next, there is usually a time of solitude. God often brings leaders into a time of solitude in order to speak to them without other distractions. Hosea 2:14b says, "I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her." Paul was sent to Arabia for two years for a time of solitude. Joseph spent years in the solitude of prison. Moses spent 40 years in the desert herding sheep.

The third characteristic of God's preparation for leaders is discomfort. The setting in which the preparation takes place usually is not a place of comfort. Abraham traveled through the difficult deserts. David lived in caves fleeing Saul. Paul was frequently persecuted.

Are you ready for the classroom of leadership preparation? If God chooses to bring you into this class, you may have one of three reactions to the events. First, you may say, "I don't need it." Perhaps you know intellectually that you do need this, but God wants you to know it in your heart. Pride prevents us from entering this classroom. The second reaction may be, "I'm tired of it." You decide you've had enough. If so, this will disqualify you from leadership. Finally, God's desired response from us in this preparation is, "I accept it." To accept it with joy is the place of maturity in Christ. God often keeps us in these places until we come to accept and agree that Jesus is enough. Is He all you need?

Like the people of Israel, I think we have something to do with the timetable of our education. "If My people would but listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!" (Ps. 81:13-14)

Are you ready for the process required for being a godly leader? Ask for His grace to willingly embrace these times of preparation.

25 Ways to make sure you enjoy life!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is
the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about
what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My
purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________’

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that
is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan
salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues
of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead
invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a
college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9.. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11 Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument.
Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.

14. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their
journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years,
will this matter?’

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything – but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends
will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings.
You’ll be smiling before you know it.

Taken from Joey Dehnert's Internet Website

A Lesson on Socialism

An economics professor said he had never failed a single student before but had, once, failed an entire class. The class had insisted that socialism worked - and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer for all, for society. The professor then said ok, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism.

He said that all grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A. After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone was given a B. The students who studied hard were upset, and the students who studied little were happy. But, as the second test rolled around, the students who hadn't studied much for the first test had studied even less, and the ones who studied hard weren't motivated to study hard again, and they decided they wanted a free ride too; so they studied little. The second Test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around the average was an F.

The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for anyone else. All failed .... and the professor told them that the socialism they wanted would ultimately fail, as they had, because the reward of success normally goes to those that work harder, but when government takes the reward away; few will try so no one will succeed.

Why?

Just finished a great VBS at Hope and it has inspired me to pen some thoughts. I was playing the character of Paul, so for the duration of VBS I was chained to a roman guard. This really got me thinking of the courage of the Apostle Paul that was chained to a new guard and every six hours. And while he was awaiting his sentencing from the Emperor he was sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, so if we really believe the way Paul did then why aren't we living that way? Why aren't we living in such a sacrificial way that the world will ask WHY? I think it is because we are not living the true meaning of the Gospel, we are living an American way of not experiencing the full power of God moving and working in our lives, families, jobs, and even our churches. We are caught in the here and now that we have forgotten what our lives as followers of Christ are all about. We are to be a living, breathing, example of the Christ. This is hard for believers to do, because of the high expectation that is placed upon us, not from God, but from others and even our selves. So today, I will live my life in such a way that maybe someone will come and ask me, Why?

Just thoughts from a sinner on his way home.

peace, byron

From TGIF Devotion.

"He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me." - 2 Samuel 22:20

Questioning someone's motives for their activities can become an overriding response to those to whom we relate. Wrong motives can result in broken relationships, poor business decisions, and falling out of God's will. Sometimes we do not know the motive of another person. It is wrong for us to assume what their motive is until we have confidence that we know their intentions. When we respond or react prematurely, we become judge and jury over them.

God has a motive for every one of His children. His desire is to bring us into a spacious place. He wants us to go beyond our borders of safety and security so that we might experience life at a level that goes beyond ourselves. What do you think of when you think of a "spacious place"? No limitations? A large, grassy field? Open air? These are positive images. Sometimes these spacious places encourage us to step out in faith into areas where we've never ventured. Sometimes we need to be rescued by the Lord. When Peter walked on the water, God was inviting him to a spacious place. He went beyond the borders of his boat and ventured into a whole new world. He didn't have complete success in his venturing out, but it was a process that would lead him to the next victory in his faith walk with Jesus. Sometimes failure is what is needed in order to move us to the next level of faith with God. However, we must be willing to fail and let God rescue us.

The Lord delights in this process. His motive for His children is always love. It is always to bring us to a new level of trust and dependence on Him.

The WAY

There has been a great deal going on not only in our country, but in our world. There is a verse of Scripture that reminds me of how we are to live and the example we are to set, even through times of crisis.

“1But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (Acts 9: 1,2)

Before Christians were ever known as Christians we were known as people of “The Way”. I really like this title more than Christian, because it states something about your life and what really matters to you. The Way says no matter what I face I know that God is in control and I prove that by living a certain “WAY”! I don’t put my emphasis on this life, but the life that is to come. A life that is reflective in my worship to a living God not to things made with human hands. For example, right now there is a great excitement over the college teams that are moving forward to the final four, but can the same excitement be seen in what God is doing, or what He is going to do? I haven’t seen one person paint themselves up and go into a time of worship and yell their excitement for the King of Kings, (that would be kind of weird), but you get my point. I truly believe we would see many supernatural events happen if we, Gods people, would start living in such a WAY, that the world would see a people of God living the way and not just another group of religious, denominational, church people doing, but being so in Love, so in Worship, and bringing so much glory to God that there would be a movement that cannot be explained by human terms only by supernatural movement of the Holy Spirit. Who’s with me?

Just thoughts from a sinner on his way home,

Peace, byron

“Jesus is Enough”

For the last few weeks it has been a blur for me. I have been working a lot and also trying to maintain all the goals established the first of the year. I must confess I have blown a few, but I have stayed steady with others; as I am sure some of you would agree. I say that to share with you an event that happened this week. I finally got the opportunity to get my hair cut, although it was nice to receive some monetary gain for my long hair by those having compassion on me and throwing a few bucks my way thinking I was in need but couldn’t find a sign. But when I finally made it to the shop that cuts my hair I entered into a conversation that seems to be going on around our community and I would say in our country; that is the state of our economy and the state of our world. One comment that was made was that “God would never put more on a person than they can handle.” Another statement was “God blesses those that bless Him.” Now I know there are some truths to these statements and I know where these statements come but many times they are sadly misused. When asked what I thought as a preacher I kindly shared with them the life of John the Baptist, Peter, Job, and Paul. Although they did exactly what was asked of them by God, their life on this earth would not be what we would consider a blessing in our life time. Think about it everything taken away, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, left for dead, ship wrecked, crucified, or beheaded. To me that doesn’t sound like a blessing, or more than they could handle. But I did let them know as I would like to say to you, what they did experience and what they did learned is that “Jesus is Enough” No matter what comes our way Jesus is enough, no matter what life, or the economy, or our government throws our way Jesus is and will be enough. You have to ask yourself and then answer do you believe that. Because that is the only hope we have and that hope will carry you into eternity. What these men had in common was that they were looking and longing for a new day, a day when all things will be restored to what God intended. A day I long for as well and I believe you do too.