Author: Ragamuffingospelfan

The Last Sunday

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There’s something a little sad about last things. Even if you know something better is coming, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be sad about the ending.

I got a little emotional singing the Doxology for the last time at The Church at Avenue South’s last service at 2510 8th Ave S. I know the new campus on 901 Acklen Ave will be so much better in so many ways, but it’s hard to deny 10 years of history.

As my pastor reminded us all, when we set out to plant a church in the Melrose/Berry Hill area of Nashville back in 2013, many “experts” said we’d never be able to find suitable property. Even if we did, we’d never be able as a church to compete with other bidders or afford space to accommodate our needs.

But God. That’s how all the best stories start. God showed up. A property opened up that was exactly what we needed at the time. The owner was the son of a pastor. His name was Gabriel. Does it get any more God-ordained than that?

Fast forward 8 or so years later and we’re looking for a permanent home. Again, those in the know said we’d never find it in the area we felt called to serve. But God stepped in again. A church half a mile away had relocated to Hermitage and wanted to sell the property to another church to keep the gospel presence intact in the neighborhood. They left money on the table to sell to us versus selling to a developer.

God’s fingerprints are all over the move, yet it’s still a goodbye. We’re saying goodbye to a building where so many God-moments have taken place. We’ve seen God show up time and time again. So many of us (including me) are different people than we were when we first walked into 2510 8th Ave S. We are more like Jesus.

There are not many left from those early days in 2014, but everyone who has been in the building for 10 years, 10 months, 10 days, or 1 day has a story to tell about how God met them in that place.

May there be many more stories to tell in the years to come at 901 Acklen Ave.

Stories from Scars

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I have a scar on my left hand. It goes back to when I was 18 or 19 years old. I was driving down Poplar Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee to Cat’s Music to do some trading of music. At some point, I passed my destination. Later on, I came to a two-way flashing red light stop.

The problem was that I didn’t know it was a two-way stop. Even if I had known, I probably still wouldn’t have known what to do. The result was me pulling out in front of a full-sized truck and getting hit in the driver’s side door.

In case you’re wondering, I survived. I ended up with a rather garish wound on my left hand. At first, I could see clear to the bone. That’s when I realized that it hurt. A lot.

Thankfully, that was the extent of my injuries. Unfortunately, my car did not survive the encounter. But to this day, I carry the scar as a reminder of the foolishness of my youth and the ever-present and ever-protective grace of God.

Scars tell stories. They speak to wounds that have healed but left visible reminders. As much as the memorial stones set up by the people of God in olden times, scars are a kind of memorial to a time when you survived. They are a testimony to how God met you in the moment of your wounding and carried you through it.

Every time I see my scar, I see God’s goodness. Every time my hand cramps up when I’m writing, I think back to how close I came to not being here. I’m still thankful.

Scars can be shameful if you focus on the wound and the hurt, but they can be sacred if you choose to see how God turned that painful moment into something beautiful and good.

“Darkest water and deepest pain
I wouldn’t trade it for anything
‘Cause my brokenness brought me to you
And these wounds are a story you’ll use

So I’m thankful for the scars
‘Cause without them I wouldn’t know your heart
And I know they’ll always tell of who you are
So forever I am thankful for the scars” (Ethan Hulse, Jon McConnell, Matthew Armstrong, Matthew Hein).

The Mosaic of Community

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This is most likely a repeat, but I’m too tired for original thought, so I’m posting something from Henri Nouwen that spoke volumes to me about the importance of community and how we together reflect God and make Him visible in the world:

“A mosaic consists of thousands of little stones. Some are blue, some are green, some are yellow, some are gold. When we bring our faces close to the mosaic, we can admire the beauty of each stone. But as we step back from it, we can see that all these little stones reveal to us a beautiful picture, telling a story none of these stones can tell by itself.

That is what our life in community is about. Each of us is like a little stone, but together we reveal the face of God to the world. Nobody can say: ‘I make God visible.’ But others who see us together can say: ‘They make God visible.’ Community is where humility and glory touch.”

I think stained glass window work essentially the same way. They are made up of bits of broken glass that only make sense when fitted together into a whole. We are that mosaic and that stained glass window that tells the story of God’s love for His people. That’s why community matters so much.

Beauty from Ashes

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“To all who mourn in Israel,
    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair” (Isaiah 61:3, NLT).

On my weekly Radnor Lake hike, I saw something that took a minute to register. There were these beautiful yellow flowers growing out of a pond of green scum. If I knew anything about botany, I could tell you what kind of flowers or maybe what kind of green scum was covering the pond.

I do know that what stuck me is that out of something I perceived as ugly grew something that I saw was beautiful. But isn’t that just God’s way?

The prophet Isaiah speaks about God bringing beauty from ashes. I honestly can’t think of anything more hopeless than ashes. Ashes are what’s left after the destruction of fire. There’s literally nothing left to restore.

But God can take these ashes and turn them into something beautiful the same way He could take a valley of dry bones and make them into a living army.

I heard a pastor say once that what seems impossible for us isn’t even remotely difficult for God. That means even the most hopeless of circumstances can be transformed into the most amazing outcomes. He can make miracles from mud (just ask the blind man Jesus healed).

It’s easy to forget God’s goodness when you’re staring at a pile of the ashes that are what’s left of your life. But God can turn even those into something beautiful, something better than before, something that will always be a reminder of God’s faithful love for you.

May Day 14 Years Later

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I will never forget.

It rained and rained and rained that day. I don’t think I had ever seen such a continuous downpour that lasted for two whole days, starting on May 1, 2010.

By the time all the rain ended, much of Nashville was under water.

I remember seeing news footage of a portable school building floating down the interstate, carried away by flood waters.

I remember after the waters receded, I saw a message spray painted on a garage door that said, “Storms Leave. Love Shines. We Survive.”

And we did.

I haven’t heard one mention of that infamous 1000-year flood that hit the Middle Tennessee area. But that’s probably because I haven’t watched much TV at all today.

But I still remember. That was a day that Nashville made all the major news outlets, but not for any sports-related or music-related reasons.

We did survive. So many rallied together and volunteered and helped to clean and restore and rebuild. We came together as a community in the days that followed. I wish we could recapture the unity we had then.

Hopefully, it won’t take another natural disaster or other tragedy for Nashville to come together again. Maybe this time it will be true revival.

God’s Hand

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It’s easy to trust God’s hand in everything in theory, but it’s another when it’s in real life. In my current career transition, I’m finding out that it’s one thing to say I believe God’s promises are for me when everything is fine and dandy but quite another when life gets difficult.

But I have learned over the years that the more I can truly trust God and His promises in everything, the more I will see God at work in everything. The more I will see that God works all things together for good.

It’s easy for me to feel sorry for myself and invite myself to my own pity party, but then I see where others have much more joy in the midst of much more difficult circumstances. So many are dealing with the sickness and death of loved ones, financial hardships, and other crises that would likely make me fold like a cheap card table. Yet they remain joyful.

That should inspire me to take heart. The same God that is with them is with me. The same sparrow that clothes the lilies of the field and cares about sparrows knows my name and is not about to leave me abandoned but will surely provide in His perfect timing. My job is to be faithful and ready when He shows up.

53 Years Ago Today

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On this day in 1971, one of the greatest albums ever recorded was released by the one and only Carole King. I think if I had to pick a desert island record list, this would be on it without a doubt.

It’s the perfect rainy day record. It sounds better when it’s colder outside, I think. I don’t know if I’m the only one who thinks this way, but certain kinds of music lend themselves to different seasons of weather. You have your Beach Boys for summer and obviously your Christmas music for winter. But I also believe there’s a kind of music that fits in with the autumn season.

This record doesn’t really have a weak song on it. Every single track from start to finish is solid and lends itself to a contemplative mood. This is a good album for listening to in the dark with headphones on or for playing in the background with a cat in your lap and rain falling outside.

I think just about everybody knows “It’s Too Late” or “Natural Woman” or “You’ve Got a Friend.” There’s a reason why this album went platinum many times over because it’s just about the closest we’ll ever get to a perfect record.

So I recommend dropping the needle on this one at some point today. Or you could pull it up on Spotify or one of the other newfangled streaming platforms. Just give it a listen, okay? You won’t be disappointed.

Balloons

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“Sharing what a dear friend once posted:

A professor gave a balloon to every student, who had to inflate it, write their name on it and throw it in the hallway. The professor then mixed all the balloons. The students were then given 5 minutes to find their own balloon. Despite a hectic search, no one found their balloon.

At that point, the professor told the students to take the first balloon that they found and hand it to the person whose name was written on it. Within 5 minutes, everyone had their own balloon.

The professor said to the students: ‘These balloons are like happiness. We will never find it if everyone is looking for their own. But if we care about other people’s happiness, we’ll find ours too'” (William Groce).

I think that’s what the goal of evangelism and missions really is. It’s to help people find true joy and happiness in Jesus. The purpose of this Christian life is to glorify God, love Jesus, and love others. In other words, you get fulfillment when you help others find theirs.

Jesus said it to the effect that if you work to save your own life, you lose it, but if you lose it by giving it away for others, you actually gain it in the end. The best way to rediscover joy is selfless service and helping others find joy.

One Day You’ll Understand

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I think about all the times Jesus must have been exasperated with His disciples. Or at least I would have. I’m sure Jesus exhibited far more patience and understanding toward them than I would have.

All the times made it clear what was about to happen and they still didn’t get it. He practically spelled out the end of His life and resurrection, and got blank stares in response. They weren’t yet able to understand.

But when they saw Jesus taken up and then witnessed the Pentecost miracle, they got it. Boys howdy, did they get it. They got it so much they were revolutionally transformed into bold witnesses for Jesus who were each willing to suffer and die for the gospel rather than recant for a moment what they heard and saw.

These days, I may not understand what Jesus is up to in my life, but their witness tells me to hold on and have faith. They’d tell me to trust Jesus as they did when they didn’t understand. One day, it will all make sense. One day, it will be worth the wait. One day, the gray clouds will roll back and reveal the sunshine and all the longing and waiting will turn into joy and gladness.

Until then, I must learn trust in the waiting.

Road Trip Eve

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Tomorrow, I embark on a road trip. To be honest, it’s a short road trip where we leave on Saturday and come back on Sunday. But it still qualifies.

Back in ye olden days, i.e. before this year, I went through the arduous process of picking out road trip music for the journey. Now that the new car doesn’t have a CD player, that’s not an option. I suppose I could put together a playlist, but it’s not quite the same.

But I’ve got my Audible book ready to go. I’ve got the physical book I’m currently reading to take with me. I am mentally preparing for all the pit stops and bathroom breaks and snack breaks and meal pauses. It won’t be a short journey.

Thankfully, a 2-day trip means light packing, which is good since I haven’t started on the packing. That will be a first thing tomorrow morning thing.

And then the road trip starts. We will be off like a herd of enraged turtles mucking through peanut butter. But at least there will be progress.