A day in the life of...Mark Williams

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. 

An unexpected surprise...

I witnessed a great thing this afternoon.  I wasn't expecting it.  To tell you the truth, I was somewhat uneasy about the afternoon.  Mainly because I didn't know what I was getting into.  I was invited to be a "discipler" at a football "skills camp" at Univ. of S. Alabama.  There were over 22 high schools from the Gulf Coast area attending.  When I arrived, I was already impressed.  Guys were in the parking lot getting people parked.  Men cooking hundreds of hamburgers, football players and coaches everywhere.  There were over 1200 people there. 

It was a fairly smooth-running event. 

Long story short...a former Auburn linebacker shared his testimony, followed up by an FCA director sharing the gospel.  There were easily over 100 guys that made decisions.  I was able to follow-up with some of them.  But......WOW!!   You don't see it too often.  100 people or more deciding to follow Jesus at once.  It was a sight.  I can't tell you what that feels like.  It's amazing.  I was so excited....mainly b/c I honestly wasn't expecting it.  The truth is that these are the "tough guys".  I saw them let down their guard a little so God could work on their hearts.  Indescribable is probably the best way to "describe" it.  I was glad to be a part of it. 

Making a difference

Ok....this post will be a little personal.  We all wonder if we're making a difference.  I want my life to count.  I don't want to get to the end of it and have to wonder whether it counted or not.  I want to know.  How can I ensure that?  Simple I guess.  Be obedient in my relationship to Jesus.  That involves a lot more than just "Be obedient".  It means going when it's time to go.  It means staying when you should stay.  It means taking time each week to invest in kids that may never come to your church.  No benefit for the church that you are on staff with.  It means taking time to give others the best of yourself.  It means that we use the gifts and abilities that God has given me to provide what otherwise wouldn't be provided. 

There is so much going on in the life of The Williams' family right now.  There are great things happening, and we sooooo want to be obedient in what God has called us to.  Our fulfillment comes in serving Jesus Christ as a family.  Not just serving on the church staff, or doing what we are supposed to do.  We are called, as individuals, and as families, to serve God through His kingdom. 

We have a passion for seeing people introduced to a relationship with Jesus, then grow in that relationship.  God is always faithful to give us opportunities to serve Him.  The question is, will we take those opportunities and run with them? 

I am encouraged by people who take those steps.  The Hendersons left this morning to begin their time as missionaries through the IMB.  They will spend a few months in Virginia for training, a few months in Costa Rica for language school, then head to Peru for 2 years.  Wow.  It seems so non-chalant.  But it's not.  It's giving everything up to follow Christ.  It's denying self to follow Christ.  It's taking up your cross daily to follow Christ.  We say it is simple...yet it is hard.  That's ok, though. 

We weren't called to live an easy life.  We weren't called just to make the easy decisions.  We have been called to work through tough decisions to help grow the kingdom.  As I read back through scripture, in Galatians the other night, it spoke of how Paul and Peter were at odds.  We look at conflict as ALWAYS a bad thing.  We look at everyone having to be in total unity as a MUST.  But in Galatians 2, we see that even Paul and Peter opposed each other some times.  Other apostles had to go different directions as well.  Why?  Because methods that people use are going to be different.  Different personalities and people do things differently.  THAT'S OK!!  Really.  The purpose of spreading the Gospel should be centric to what we do.  That should not change. 

I have rambled a little in this.  More than anything, I am just saying that we have been called to spread the Gospel of Jesus above all else.  The way in which we do it is not the end-all.  It's ok to have different opportunities to do this, and still have the same end in mind.   We must remember, that in the end, we want our lives to count.   And we have something to say and do about that. 

Kissing Toilets by Perry Noble

Perry Noble posted this on his blog about Kissing Toilets.

Determination

The virtue for October is Determination--deciding it's worth it to finish what you've started.

This is our first KidStuf since school has been back in session.  Our first KidStuf was cancelled due to Hurricane Gustav.  I love doing KidStuf.  It is an excellent production that brings families together to learn about God through virtues. 

KidStuf is a monster to pull off for a church our size.  We have to make multiple adjustments every time we have KidStuf.  It takes hours of preparation to get ready for the actual 45 min. production.  Getting the props together (which we have a volunteer doing), the music together, the tech script, the master cd, teaching students the dance motions, learning lines, getting cues ready for lights, audio, video, are just some of the elements that have to be taken care of.  As I said, KidStuf is something that we love.  But it is something that requires a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes as well. 

An afternoon with the RA's

My son, Micah, is in 2nd grade. That means that on Wednesdays, he goes with the RA's (guys in 1st - 6th grade). Tomorrow afternoon, they are going skating. I'm not a big skater, but I'll be going with them tomorrow. He likes it, and is getting much better at it. More importantly, he is around other men that are teaching him the same godly principles that we are teaching him. I've said it before, but everyone needs someone in their child's life (other than parents..but alongside them) teaching godly virtues, values, and how to live life. For Micah, on Wednesdays, he gets that from a few guys. On Sundays, he gets it from a couple who teaches him in S.S. Every day of the week, he gets it from Mom and Dad.

It's nice to see your kids grow up in an environment where they are seeing godly examples every day!!

Good quote

"Now, the question is not, 'If you died tonight do you know where you'd go?' The question is, 'If you live tomorrow, who will you follow?' "
--Todd Hunter, Alpha USA

Measuring our words

Pudge Huckaby has a post about "measuring our words".  Good stuff.

The Bear Lap

I feel like we are on the "bear lap" of the 1600 meter run.  The 1600 meter run is the equivalent to the mile run in track and field.  The "bear lap" is the 3rd lap.  It's the toughest.  It's where your body has been giving it all for over half the race, yet you still have another lap after this lap.  It feels like a bear is on your back.

We are going through a lot of transition here at the church.  I am/have transitioned into the role of Equipping Pastor.  However, I still have major duties as the student minister until we get someone in place.  With that, we have dual S.S. coming up, as well as some major discipleship plans.  I believe that as we go through these, this will prove to be our "bear lap".  The one that is the toughest, but we know we can run through.  Hebrews 12:1 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  I'm ready. 

I'm getting smacked...and "Now is the time!"

Ok....here's the scenario.  I preached yesterday, and the message was entitled "Know Where You're Going".  The premise is that our destination should be to HONOR GOD.
With that being said, the other things I touched were this:

•     We must be obedient
•     We must be courageous
•     We must be risk-takers.
•     We must be confident that God is who He says He is, and He will do what He has promised.

Since the sermon, God has been hammering me about these very things in my own life. 
    I must be obedient.   
    I must be courageous.
    I must be a risk-taker.
    I must be confident in God.

I would say that we (as a church and me as an individual) have very much been up to the challenge of taking risks over the past few years.  I do believe that God is continuing to push me further in the things He wants me to do and accomplish with my life. 

I believe that people often say, "In God's time, this or that will happen....just give it time."  This statement can be very true.  We must be obedient and be "in time" with His time.  However, I also believe that there are MANY, MANY times where God is WAITING ON US to stop saying "in time". 

NOW IS THE TIME.  We must stop with the excuse of waiting on God, when He is actually waiting on us.  We must "spread our wings" and fly, rather than keep walking on the forest floor. 

I can't explain this.  God is working on me HARD in this!!