On My Anniversary...

There are many people that get their Christmas shopping done early to get it out of the way. There are others who get it done early because when they see something in the store, they think of their loved one, and how this gift would mean so very much to them. Now, it seems strange that I would be speaking of Christmas shopping at the beginning of June, but in truth as I write this post it is February. There are times certain things happen that cause me to write a blog for a date down the road, or a blog of something that I want to mention down the road after a particular text that I preach. Well, when I read this blog I knew that I would post it on June 10. Why this date? Well, I try to post each Monday and Thursday - and Friday, June 11th is the Anniversary of the greatest event of my life outside my salvation; I married Rebecca Michele Brashear. The reason I thought of this way back in February was because I read this post:
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/rayortlund/2010/02/13/husband-and-wife/

God has used Michele over the last 16 years to exhort, love, listen, counsel and even biblically rebuke me. She sees me, her pastor, in the highest of mountains and in the lowest of valleys. She has watched me labor over the study of Scripture, and listened to sermons over the supper table well before I ever preached them in worship service. She has watched me lead our home and teach truth, and she has watched me fail miserably. She has watched me rejoice in my calling and she has watched me struggle, cry and even question staying in the ministry God has given me. She has been my proof reader and the first one that I ask “did I explain that text clearly?” When I read the statement in the afore mentioned blog:

And she will spend her life answering it, communicating to him in various ways, “Honey, I believe in your call. I know you can do this, by God’s power. Go for it.” In this way, she will breathe life into her man.

I thought of the countless times that in so many words Michele has said this. I know with her illness there is never a day she feels “100%” but there are few days that anyone would know, aside from me, that she has any illness whatsoever. She is tougher, smarter, (certainly more attractive) than I could ever hope to be… but she not only embraces my calling as her Pastor, but she embraces and honors my calling as her husband and leader. I stand each week before you and have the honor of teaching the Word of God, but the most wonderful ministry in my life happens through her in the shadows and back ground. Michele, I love you…thank you for saying “yes.”

THE CATALYST FOR CHANGE:

You can not be a serious Christian without reading serious Christian literature! On April 26th of 2009 we opened our “Pastor’s Picks” book table. This made wonderful biblically based books available those at Trinity for prices as good as if not better than you could find in the books store. Our total sales in the first year were 595 books - but we need to add roughly 200 more books to this number for special orders for groups, for members in going through counseling and other issues that are generally not recorded because they are not on our titles list. The books from the list that look like they are slow to sell are, in actuality, those that have been on our book table only a few weeks. The one thing I want to highlight is that our top 6 sellers all have to do with marriage, training our children in truth, or dealing with family and church relationships! It is no wonder that I don’t recall a week that someone has not discussed how God is working in their family!! To be around biblically centered books and to learn principles of teaching my children the Word of God, will always lead to change. I thank the Lord for Mrs. Dody and so many of our wonderful people that serve at this table every single service. I can’t put it any better than Mrs. Dody, when she sent me this summary:

“What is most exciting is that the number of books sold represents families being helped, marriages being revived, parents learning to parent biblically, individuals applying the Word of God to their finances, and believers hungry to grow in their faith and disciple others along the way. That is a ministry I am thrilled and proud to be a part of.”

Keep reading and we keep growing!



Total Books Sold Since 4-26-09 to May 2010

Total Books Sold - 595

Title/Author - price - Number Sold

Adopted for Life/ Moore - $12.00 - 1

Age of Opportunity/Tripp - $13.00 - 7

Beautiful Girlhood - $8.00 - 18

Big Book of Q & A - $12.00 - 17

Big Truths for Young Hearts/Ware - $14.00 - 32

Boyhood and Beyond - $10.00 - 20

Complete Husband/Lou Priolo - $13.00 - 12

Cross Centered Life/Mahaney - $8.00 - 2

Counterfeit Gods / Keller - $18.00 - 1

Decisions, Decisions/Dave Swavely - $10.00 - 19

Do Hard Things / Harris - $14.00 - 15

Does Grace Grow Best in Winter/Duncan- $10.00 - 2

Excellent Wife / Martha Peace - $11.00 - 44

Exemplary Husband / Stuart Scott - $12.00 - 18

Feminine Appeal / Carolyn Mahaney - $12.00 - 25

Finally Alive / Piper - $12.00 - 1

Gospel for Children - $8.00 - 19

Heart of Anger/ Lou Priolo - $13.00 - 11

How Long O Lord / Carson - $21.00 - 0

I Kissed Dating Goodbye / Harris - $11.00 - 3

Journey in Purity - $10.00 - 6

Just Do Something / DeYoung - $10.00 - 28

Love That Lasts / Gary & Betsy Ricucci- $11.00 - 34

Money, Posessions & Eternity/R. Alcorn -$13.00 - 7

Peace Maker / Ken Sande - $15.00 - 155

Reason For Sports / Kluck - $12.00 - 2

Tale of Two Sons / Macarthur - $21.00 - 0

Shepherding a Child’s Heart / Ted Tripp -$12.00 - 43

Spectacular Sins / Piper - $13.00 - 0

Stop Dating The Church / Harris - $11.00 - 4

Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health / Whitney- $11.00- 2

Training Hearts / Teaching Minds- $13.00 - 29

What is a Healthy Church? / Mark Dever- $10.00 - 4

What is a Healthy Church Member/Anyabwile- $10.00 - 5

When People Are Big and God Small/ Welch - $14.00 - 5

When Sinners Say “I Do” / Harvey -$12.00 - 4