Happy Anniversary to a Dear Friend

Two boys…Zach and Cobb.  Cobb could not even speak clearly, yet. They later had a pretty little red head named Katey Jo - but when I met the Summers family she was not even in their plan. It was my first pastorate and we were seeing a crazy amount of people come to Christ and the people were coming in so fast, I didn’t know what to do. Michele was working at Children’s Home with Bro. Jeff Summers - and Carol Ann’s uncle was on staff with my Dad.   Bro. Jeff was recommended to me through two people that I love dearly…my wife and my Dad.

Well, long story short, Bro. Jeff Summers began serving with me over 13 years ago and I know of no one in the ministry who has been any more faithful to the Lord, or any more passionate about his ministry, than Bro. Jeff. I have watched him pour his life into parents and children alike. I have watched his boys grow up to be great young men, and I have watched Carol Ann do everything from lead a choir, to help clean up when the church needed it, and everything in between. I have watched Bro. Jeff stand on the Word of God when it would have been of great personal convenience for him to compromise... I have even watched staff members through the years live to protect self over truth, and Bro. Jeff has never displayed such a fear of man. He has been a counselor to me, he has been a tennis opponent, he has been a co-worker but most importantly he is an outstanding friend and brother in Christ - and my life and my ministry are better because of the way God has used him. All of this to say, when Bro. Jeff and his family came to serve at Trinity he didn’t know what all it would entail, but when he came, I knew he was “thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  I thank God that the Lord brought him here, and Sunday we will celebrate his two year anniversary!  But in our lives personally -  in my boys life he has been their Children’s Pastor,  and to Michele and me he has served as Pastor to our family in so many ways. All this to say "Happy Two Years Bro. Jeff", but more than that, I am thankful for all the years the Lord has given us to serve together, know that I count it a joy to go through this walk with you.  Thank you for being who God has called you to be!

Oh, Life....

Our deacons are going through a book together and it discusses the importance journaling. Let me be the first to say that for 7 years I have been journaling, but many of my entries through the years begin like this, “I have to be the worse journal writer in the world!” I am so sporadic, and I don’t want to be. It is so easy to forget, but I long to do it not only because it chronicles my spiritual walk and helps me look back at all the things God teaches me, but it also helps me think through things and ask my heart tough questions. I have given instructions to my wife as to where to find my journal entries are so that, when I go home to glory, I want my boys to see my struggles and victories and know my thought process and Biblical thinking. I also journal great memories, below is one such recorded about Caleb when he was 5 years old.


I was taking the boys to school and they were in the garage getting shoes on. I must have rushed out the door, simply because I was in a hurry, as the garage door opened. Caleb thought, at the speed that I rushed out, that it must mean he was in trouble. So he said: “Josh pushed the garage door button” I said: “Let’s just hurry boys.” Well in the mean time Josh made the statement that He didn’t open the garage door, Caleb did. Well, none of this hit me until we all got in the car and I asked Caleb if he lied to me. He paused, and then with frustration, I said: “Did you lie to me Caleb?” (Well as a foot note; he has had an ear infection so I guess he decided now was the time to play that card) and he said: “Well Daddy, I don’t know if I lied because my ear is hurting and I can’t hear myself talk so I don’t know what I said.” How original we can be when it comes to our own sin.

I say all this to show you the things both weighty and light hearted in my journal. But it is still so tough to do this consistently. However, a church member pointed me to this site http://ohlife.com/b If you go to this site, you can enter your e-mail and it will e-mail you everyday simply asking “how was your day?” You reply to the e-mail as long, or short, as you desire.  The system then puts it in an electronic account, formats it, and dates it. I would encourage you to try it if you don’t have a consistent way to journal. Everyone has just a moment to respond to email, it does the filing for you, and it prompts you to remember how important this daily reflection is in our lives.