Everything Has Led to This Moment

A couple weeks ago I shared a bit of our story with an assembly of prayer leaders and ministers, as we met to strategize and prepare for a prayer gathering that will be held in August at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA.

I told them how the Lord led Carol and me to Harrisburg in 2004, to start a ministry that would rebuild, restore and renew hearts and homes. Along the way we have had many battles and yet, we have met many other leaders in this community, most who also seemed to be very down and disappointed about how their lives and ministries have progressed through the years. Mostly it was the lack of progression that had so many of them so discouraged.

In our ten-year journey in Harrisburg, there have been several pastoral prayer gatherings that seemed to get started with great fire and then fizzled out. Then there have been large prayer gatherings of Believers that seemed to spark some movement, but that faded out, too. There have been various pastors and leaders experiencing personal battles and ministry failures. Each time something has been launched in this region, it seemed to fade out over time.

I told the group how God has been connecting us to certain people and specific leaders over the past ten years. All of those connections, in spite our disappointment, still led to me sitting at that table, that night, at that moment. It all still led to this opportunity to become part of the preparation of this upcoming national prayer gathering.

I told them we must all stop looking back at the disappointments because all of those disappointments are merely the result of things not turning out the way WE expected. But what if things were actually going according to God’s plan?
I asked everyone, ‘What if God was accomplishing, all along, what HE had in mind?’ Maybe the other prayer gatherings and special meetings were simply God’s way of connecting the right people to someday come together at just the right time, in the right place, to pray for our nation.

I watched the Holy Spirit bring a lot of people encouragement through that revelation. That night everyone got on board with this new initiative of prayer.

I share this story with you today because the same thing applies for our little church family.

Somehow, your journey to various churches and ministries still led you to wherever you might be today. Your winding path has led you to the precious brothers and sisters that you have now come into fellowship with and you now share in Holy Communion and divine intercession. Now you can know for sure that you are not alone in the journey. There really are others who are seeking God just like you. There really are others who want to praise and worship God, just like you. There really are others who love God and want to live for Him, just like you.

From our perspective, as ministry leaders, we were praying and asking God for a congregation that wanted to serve Him with all their hearts, the same way WE wanted to serve God with all our hearts. Eventually the paths finally crossed and look where we all are today. The journey for each one of us has led us to this open door to sit at the same table with the Lord and to dine together, with Him.

Now we must stop allowing the disappointment of the past to hinder us from embracing this moment of destiny that has been set before us.

Our nation, state, city, neighborhoods and families are in crisis and WE have the solution. We have the answer. God has given us a testimony. He has given us gifts and abilities. He has given us technology. He has given us a strategy. And we’re going to take what God has placed in our hands and go forth to make a difference in our world.

Think about this blog as you go to your church, assembly or home group next week, to continue to learn more about our God and how He wants to use all of us to change the world.

Happy Father's Day

Thank You Daddy

I have some very fond memories with my dad. He was a fun-loving dad who always threw caution to the wind. It got him in trouble many times, but it also gave his children a sense of adventure and daring that proved to be very helpful for us when we found ourselves called in to the ministry.

My dad saw my love for sports and took me to my first baseball game. The St. Louis Cardinals were playing the Montreal Expos and Jose Cardenal hit a two run double in the seventh inning that gave them a 4-2 victory. I couldn’t believe I was actually there, in a 50,000 seat stadium, looking at the high tech scoreboard, the massive crowd, and experiencing all the sounds I always heard when I listened to games on the radio. I had become a devoted fan; and dad gave me a chance to experience the real thing; to actually see my heroes live and in person. I have cherished that memory all of my life. 

There were many other games in the years that followed. I especially loved the day I sat between my dad and his dad and watched Bob Gibson, my all time favorite Cardinal baseball player, pitch on Labor Day. I actually realized I was experiencing something very special that would never happen again; three generations, sitting together, enjoying our favorite sport.

James Green (My Dad)

Those were the times that established something in my heart that I have tried to give my children. There are once-in-a-life-time opportunities that come your way, and I tried to stay prepared for those moments with my sons. Then there are some things you cannot wait for, because some memories you simply have to make.

Through the years, I hope my children have had special moments that they can recall with the same kind of fondness and deep impacting love that I feel when I think back on special moments with my dad.

My dad didn’t always put his arms around my shoulder, or say 'I love you' in those moments. He wasn’t that kind of man. He gave us nicknames and he always told us he was proud of us. When I was struggling in arithmetic, he started calling me 'math major' and it built my confidence to try harder and I found success. I became a straight-A student in math.

My dad is not perfect. He had his issues with his children from time to time, like any father. I was sort of a middle child. He married my mom, who already had a precious little girl, and they had three sons before I came along. One son died while my mom was pregnant with me. Then they had two more children after me. 

There were many times when life was very hard. It was downright harsh and cruel for him. I was angry with him a few times, mainly because I had no idea what it took to be the head of the household. I learned from his mistakes, as well as his resiliency. And maybe that’s the greatest thing my dad gave us; resiliency.

Just like my dad’s journey, as a husband and father, life has been hard, sometimes harsh and downright cruel for me, but I learned from my dad how to get up and go to work every day, no matter how you feel. When I lost jobs, opportunities, homes, friends, and loved ones, I knew how to get up and keep going. Dad demonstrated to us that you should never give up, even after a failure. You never stop, no matter how you feel.

So in honor of my dad and ultimately, God, my heavenly Father, I wrote a song many years ago that expresses thanks. I gave it an informal title: Thank You Daddy.

I just want to share that song with you this week. 

The original recording can be heard HERE.

The lyrics are:

There’s so much I take for granted, Like the rising of the sun

Every time I see the morning, Never thankful for the dawn

Like a father who’s always there, With the same things every day

So consistent and expected, Sometimes I forget to say

(Chorus)

Thank you daddy

For the blue that’s in the sky

Thank you daddy

For the light that’s in Your eye

Thank you daddy

For the life beat I’ve been handed

I get so busy

I'm taking you for granted

There’s so much you’re always doing, You watch my life and keep me safe

Sometimes you throw in extras, Giving me a little bit more grace

You take the time to listen, When all I bring are complaints

You carry me on your shoulders, And you sing to me in the rain

I can always recall the discipline you gave

All the nights you spent with me, And the path that you have paved

You’ll give more love tomorrow than all my yesterdays

So please forgive me daddy, I never take the time to say 

Thank you, thank you

For every single day

Thank you, thank you

For every breath I take

Thank you, thank you 

You made us sons and daughters

Thank you, thank you

Because you are our Father

Thank you

© Green, Christopher 2001

For the least of these,