A day in the life of...Mark Williams

A two-week blogging break

I am back from a two week blogging break.  A lot has happened since then.
Our pastor at ABC, Tommy Mitchell, had chest pains, a heart cath, and then bypass heart surgery.
He is now recovering well at home.  It is a blessing to have him at home. 
The range of emotions that I have experienced through his surgery and hospital stay is wide.  When you work alongside someone for 5 1/2 years, you tend to develop a bond.  I am thankful he is making a good recovery. 

With this happening, my leadership role at the church has increased.  Not only day-to-day stuff, but also preaching, counseling, visits, etc.  I am enjoying these opportunities.  The amount of my preaching will be determined by how speedy Bro. Tommy's recovery is.  I am humbled to be able to fill in for him.  I pray that He will be back preaching soon.

In the midst of all of this, we have a full staff again.  Nick Wolfe has come on board as our Worship Pastor.  Nick and his family have officially moved to Agricola.  Last Sunday was his first Sunday leading worship with us.  I am excited about what God has for us as our staff is now "complete" again. 

Other notes:
--Melanie and I are doing good sticking to new, healthier eating habits. 
--We have also been working out with our Wii Active. 
--Christmas was great this year.  We spent time in Philadelphia, Starkville, and West Point.  There was lots of intermediate travel in there with Bro. Tommy's surgery.
--We went to see the Christmas lights at Bellingrath Gardens this year.  Wow!!  They were prety awesome.  I would definitely recommend checking this out.
--Micah starts Upward basketball practice this week. 
--Melanie and I are going on a cruise next week.  I cannot WAIT to get on that ship. 

A day of blessing through giving

Over the past month, Agricola Baptist Church has filled over 90 Angel Tree requests for kids.  These are done locally for children and families in need.  Today through Wednesday is "Pick-up" day.  I wish everyone could be a part of "Pick-Up" day.  The look, smiles, tears, and emotions of joy and thankfulness come full circle.  I cannot tell you how much I am blessed by our Creator.  Even more, I am blessed by giving to others.  And beyond that, I have the privilege of seeing the faces of people who are picking up the gifts for their kids.  So these next few days are full of blessings. 

I agree

Here is an EXCELLENT POST by Carey Niewhof, pastor of Connexus church in Canada.  He talks about the hardest thing he does....and I agree with him!!

CLICK HERE FOR POST.

Weekend summary

Friday--Took Micah to the dr. in Mobile.  He didn't have the flu.  Just a nasty virus.  I think he's better this morning.

Saturday--Soccer without 3 of our players makes for a long game. 

Praise in the Park was amazing.  Great event and experience!!

College Football.  State lost.  Ole Miss lost.  Southern Miss lost.  Florida beat LSU.  There ya go.

Sunday--I preached in both the AM and PM worships.
        AM--Nehemiah 4.  Pushing through Discouragement...and fighting for our generation.
        PM--Journeying to Joy.

All in all, the weekend was good. 

On this Monday morning, I'm weary and don't feel well.  My allergies (or sinus) is killing me. 

I'm getting ready to speak again on Wednesday night.  That's always a good time!!

Gonna get slimed this Sunday.  The children's department reached the goal of 1000 points.  They got points for attendance, scripture memory, bringing friends to church, bringing their Bibles, etc.  It'll be great to celebrate this way with them.  We'll do this during S.S.  Hope I can get cleaned up by the time worship starts. 

The Little Praisers

Here's a video of the Little Praisers singing in church yesterday.  Melanie, Davina Ables, and Brandon Kirkwood work with them each week.

my stinkin' eye hurts

I go through this phase.  My eye will hurt.  Not bad.  But just enough to bother me for a day or two.  And it's not always the same eye. 

What's been going on....

Melanie and Malaree took a weekend trip to Starkville this past weekend.  Melanie had not seen her parents since they went on their trip to the Mediterranean.  They had a great time while in Starkville.

Micah and I stayed here because of soccer. His team (I'm the coach) won 8-2.  They played a GREAT game!!  Their passing is getting so much better.  Micah scored 3 goals.  He has 10 goals through the first 4 games. 

I'm starting to read a new book by Malcolm Gladwell entitled Blink.  It talks about the "thinking" that we do in the first few seconds of "seeing" something.  

I'm also reviewing some videos for possible DT classes for the spring. 

KidStuf prep has been in full swing also.  Tomorrow night, we'll take on our 27th KidStuf.  Wow!!  I'm constantly amazed when I look back over the past 3 years at what has happened with KidStuf.  It's just a really unique way to connect to kids and families. 

Our Wild Goose Chase Bible study on Sunday nights has been great!!  Our attendance and the commitment to it has been encouraging.  I enjoy receiving the feedback and interaction during our small group study time.  This coming Sunday will wrap up this study.  I promise, though, that there will be more to come. 

Whirlwind week

Last week was.....well, unexpected.  Just cutting to the chase, Dad had a heart attack on Tuesday.  I headed up to Meridian, where he was taken to the hospital.  He stayed there through Friday morning.  They placed two stints in where he had blockages.  He is very fortunate and blessed to be here.  I thank God that he is doing better.  Our assumptions that we expect things to always be the same are sometimes rattled.  Life changes.  Things happen.  We're never given a "heads up" on these types of things.  I am grateful that God never changes.  That our hope in Him is what keeps us on solid ground.  I am thankful that my hope rests in Jesus.

Saturday Soccer update:  The team I coach tied our opponents.  Micah scored 2 goals in the effort.  He's playing good.  I've just gotta get our guys to play in their positions and make good passes.  I'm proud of them for their efforts. 

Wild Goose Chase update:  I'm really enjoying leading a group in this study.  It has been a great study with great church-wide involvement.  I'm excited about what God is doing at Agricola right now.  I know that He continues to have his hand on us. 

What's happening with me

For starters...

The Labor Day holiday was great.  We wound up eating at friends' homes for both lunch and dinner.  That was great.  The downside...it threw my "rest of the week" routine for a loop.  I've been off all week.  That's ok though.  I can handle being out of the routine in return for a day off.  We are supposed to break out of the Cage of Routine anyway.

on being a soccer coach....I'm trying to get 8 boys that are 8 and 9 years old to kick a ball into a net.  I'm also trying to get them to keep the other team from doing the same.  You think this would be easy.  It is not.  It is a love/hate thing.  I actually think I'm a half-decent coach.  The other half of me thinks I stink at it and believes someone else could definitely do a better job than me.  We're gonna have to have fun with this.  Otherwise, my hair is going to turn more gray than it already is. 

...on being a Miss. State fan.  I pray that this past weekend wasn't a game just to get our hopes up.  We play a real team Saturday in Auburn.  I'm not naive enough to believe that we'll have a winning season this year.  If we do, GREAT!!  But I know better than to expect that with a new coach this year. 

...on Wild Goose Chase.  I'm enjoying the weekly time I have teaching and leading a group through this study.  I believe that, if applied to our lives, it can literally change the course of what people do with their time on this earth.  I think it can be that life-transforming. 

...on being a daddy.  My kids are great.  But this week, they've been driving me (and Melanie) crazy.  I'm not sure if its the moon and stars, or what.  I've been ready to "take a belt" to em though. 

...on being a husband.  I love my wife.  She's planted the fire out of some plants this week.  I helped last weekend with it.  But this week, she planted 50 something without me.  God bless her.  And she's an amazing mommy too!! 

...on being a son-in-law.  Melanie's parents are on a cruise....in the Mediterranean.  Yep...Turkey, Greece, Italy.  I'm one jealous son-in-law. 

...on being a camp director.  We opened up registration for M4 Camps last week.  So far, we have over 300 ALREADY preregistered for 2010 summer camps.  Wow!!  I can hardly wait!!

Sickness, Soccer, Football, and Bible Study

The sickness hit our household 3 days ago.  Hence, the reason for no posting.  Melanie came down with some sinus junk with a sore throat.  I pulled double duty with that.  I'm so thankful she's doing better now.  

Tonight, Micah and I will go see George County vs. Stone County in football.  Looking forward to this!!  I love me some football.

On Sunday, we start our "Wild Goose Chase" Bible Study at church.  This is going to be an excellent 6 week study.  

We had our first U-10 Boys soccer practice last night.  We had six of our 8 players there.  We should be ok this season.  We are a little young, but we'll get better.  

Change

I think about "Change" a lot.  I believe that it's the way God wired me.  Some things are good when they don't change.  God said, "I am the same yesterday, today, and forever."  I like that consistency.  My God never wavers or changes. 

However, I believe that the "Church" must change.  I believe that there are ways of engaging people today that are much more effective than the way it's been done in the past.  The church has a "come to me" mentality.  But we see in scripture that it is far different from that.  Jesus presented more of a "I'm coming to you" ministry.  The church is more like it's supposed to be when it is serving.  That is when people will see Jesus. 

Methodology and practical church are things that are hard to change in the established church.  People see it as a threat against their faith.  It's not a threat against faith as much as it is against religion.  We have laid this "grid" of rules and expectations on top of an authentic faith in Jesus Christ.  And that has made it something it was never intended to be.  God's STORY is one of redemption.  Many times, we forget that.  We forget that WE are part of the story of redemption.  And the cool thing about redemption is that God redeems us in different ways.  In return, ministry is not the same with everyone. 

When I look at the "Church", it seems we have over-programmed ourselves into thinking that:

program x + program y (for 20 years) = Christ follower

When, in fact:  Total surrender to Jesus = Christ Follower

We have overcomplicated it.  I believe that Jesus just wants us to surrender to Him.  Give it all to Him.