FBCZ.org
first baptist church, zachary, la

There are times that I wish others could see the emotion of my heart, and then there are instances that I would rather hide those feelings. At the moment, I find myself in the former state, desiring to swing the doors back so that you could see the true excitement that is consuming me.

A couple of Sundays ago, we were reminded of the significance of influence.

If you were to read any book on the topic of leadership, you would find a mention of goals. Every organization has some type of goal, whether spoken or unspoken, that it hopes to accomplish. We even have aspirations for our own personal lives. We hope to advance in the workplace, build strong families, relate successfully to our community, etc.

Several years ago, I was challenged as I read Philip Yancey's own personal pilgrimage in Christianity. Specifically, he related how his view of the church evolved from a negative perspective to a more positive outlook.

What an incredible few days. Over the past couple of weeks, a whirlwind of emotions has overwhelmed me: sadness, joy, exhaustion, renewal, disgust, and satisfaction. Much like you, I have seen people come together and minister to each other in unprecedented fashion.

If you have ever taken a breath, you probably have experienced a condition known as worry. It is a disease that not only consumes us but also often paralyzes us. We grow anxious over our job, finances, our family, our friends, etc. Indeed, many of us could lead seminars on the art of worrying, or we could at the very least provide our services as professional worriers.

It was a depressing, desolate scene. No movement. No sign of life. No hope. The valley had become a virtual cemetery filled with dry bones. Whatever had happened (a battle, a plague, etc.) had occurred long ago, and there was no chance of finding a survivor. Even God’s prophet Ezekiel must have been troubled at the vision as he passed by each skeleton (Ezekiel 37:1-14).

No doubt, we live in a connected world. With a click, we send an e-mail or text message literally across the world. Last March, I stood in Netanya, Israel, and sent a text to my sister in Saltillo, Mississippi. No matter where we find ourselves, we can stay "in contact" with our family and friends. The technological advances in communication are absolutely amazing!