Rest

3.09.2009

There's an under appreciated power in certain words and phrases that have been glossed over enough that they pass into cliche. I heard someone once say that cliches are phrases that describe so well that they've been overused. I actually used one in my last (and first) post, and it just so happens to be the one I one to visit today. The phrase is "rest assured."

First off, i want to take that word "rest." It's really been running through my mind for a few months. In preparation for writing today, I was reminded of a little place I found while working in South Carolina. I spent a summer working at North Greenville College in Tigerville, SC which is just outside Greenville, South Carolina. Furman University is just next door from there as well, but between Greenville and Tigerville, there's a tiny place called Traveler's Rest. It's so small, I thought it was like a Bed and Breakfast, but it was a town. All the locals just call it "T.R.," which takes away from the comfort in it. Think about that for a second: Traveler's Rest. The image that comes to my mind is someone a hundred and fifty years ago traveling on horseback. They're road-weary and they need a place to rest a horse, find a warm meal and get some sleep. It just feels like you could wrap yourself up in a name like that.

Another place that rest stood out for me was at the Worship Arts Conference at Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, Kentucky. One of the speakers was Shane Claiborne (http://www.thesimpleway.org/) and whenever he would speak, he wanted to have a time of Q&A interaction with everybody, but before he would, he would say, "Let's rest." And we would be silent for a few minutes, just resting. Not contemplating or thinking up questions, just resting. It was so cool to me. I didn't have to be pressured or worry about my schedule. I could just rest.

That brings me back to the phrase I started with, "rest assured." Isn't assurance something we've all been striving for since we were children? Assurance that our parents would always love each other and love us; assurance that we were safe from monsters in the closet or under the bed; assurance that our tax dollars were doing what we wanted them to do. Obviously, we weren't always assured, but the point is when we are acutally, honestly assured, isn't it such a beautiful feeling? Now, put them together, and not only rest, but rest assured. That is one of the most comforting phrases around, and one of the hardest things to do: Rest assured.

Don't forget the maker of the universe, this great God whom we don't always understand, still loves us, and chooses to have relationship with us. He is still in control, and my friends, in Him, you can rest assured...

First Post

3.04.2009

Alright, so it's my first post, and I'll admit it's a little intimidating. I've had the thought of blogging in my head for several weeks now, and as I'm sitting down to write my first one, it's like walking to the end of the high dive for the very first time. You know you're going to enjoy the descent, but the precipice is the scariest moment.

The idea behind this blog is to let you know what goes on not only inside my head but inside ChristWay Community Church. People have this mentality that ministers are perfect and never struggle with anything. I grew up in the church, and I thought that the only thing that pastors and ministers ever struggled with was that they spent 2 1/2 hours in prayer instead of 3. I want you to rest assured that that is not me. I'm a real, down-to-earth guy that struggles every single day. I'm not "there" yet, and I want to let you in on the secret that, as Sanctus Real sings, "I'm not alright, I'm broken inside."

Still with me? Are you ready? Hold your breath, because here we go!