Even though I have been told that I am educated beyond my intelligence (lol)…I am still always learning about a lot of things, especially about things that really matter in our lives. One of these, is the realization that we will never get to the place where we outgrow our need for trusting God. Just as we trust Him for our Salvation, Eternal Life, and Heaven; we are designed by Almighty God to trust Him in the here and now on a daily basis. No matter what we are going through, we can and should trust in Him by faith. We should do that when things are going great. That is a time to give Him thanks for His blessings in our lives.

When we encounter difficulties, we should trust Him by seeking His guidance, strength and wisdom, and thanking Him for His presence and being with us. Our emotions can fluctuate, one minute we feel like shouting Amen! Then in the next moment we can find ourselves squirming with fear, thinking …Oh me, what am I going to do to get through this mess! Faith is more than just a feeling, it is a consistent concentration upon the fact that God loves us and He is with us, as we follow Him. We can take these opportunities to grow closer in our relationship with Him.

We do not need to limit God to our personal preferences or timetable as we are trusting in Him. We should be careful to not just focus on comparing our situations and challenges to other people’s experiences. This can lead to being bogged down with unhealthy emotions; such as jealousy, guilt, and isolation etc… This can be harmful to us and those around us.

Instead, we can learn something new about God’s faithfulness and character in each new situation we may encounter in life. The Bible also teaches us, that we can grow in our faith when we study God’s Word and apply it to our lives. That is so important.

This should thrill us; to think that the God who created us, knows what we really need more than anyone else. In addition to that, He wants to be closer to us, even more than our very best friends. We can trust Him. That is what Faith is really about, trusting in Him.

I am still learning and loving this journey of Faith…and I hope you are too.

Take a Break and Tap your Brakes…is some of the best help I have discovered for hurried souls like ours in this busy world. Regardless of our personalities and age and stage in life, we need to pace ourselves and not become overloaded and burnout. One of my older friends (she is 99 years old) , told me that when you go over the hill, things speed up snd you have to learn to “tap your brakes”. In other words, adapt and adjust and pace yourself. During busy times, take mini breaks, a few minutes here and there will go a long way in keeping you in the right frame of mind. Take a short walk, stretch, reflect of things that you are thankful for in your life right now. It is interesting in the book of Psalms, the term “Selah” is used to describe taking to taking time to pause and reflect in our worship. It is also important to do that throughout our day.

Another lesson I have learned is that everything is not an emergency. Take a moment to process the situation. Think about options. Some things can be resolved by rescheduling them later at a more appropriate time or possibly networking with someone else to help with the situation.

Dr. John Ortberg made this observation in studying the life and ministry of Christ, that “Jesus was often busy, but never hurried.” For me, the most help is allowing God to be a part of my daily life. Jesus is not only the perfect example, but by seeking His advice and wisdom by talking to Him in prayer , He can give us a better perspective…and help us to know when and how to slow down…and take a break, and tap our brakes.

There is a struggle to keeping our life in balance. In our culture today, there is so much more emphasis on doing a good job than being a good person. Both of these are important, it is not just one or the other, but we really need both of these qualities. One of the most frequent questions that people ask us, is “How are you doing?” but they never ask “How you be?.” We are obsessed with the outside things like appearance or performance but little attention is given to what is going on in the inside of us. This is your heart and soul, thoughts, doubts, fears, and your attitude…we need to focus there too.

In our hurry crazy world, we are becoming “human doings” more than “human beings.” We can become too busy doing things (even good things) it can drain our physical, emotional and spiritual energy and clutter our calendar with too many commitments.

It is quite a struggle to maintain a proper balance, one that I have fought for many years. We have to be more intentional about it. It is worth the effort to make both a priority in our daily lives as best we can. Jesus said, What does it profit you to the gain the whole world and lose your own soul in the process?(Matthew 16:26). What an incredible warning He gives us with that question. We must take better care of ourselves inwardly as well as outwardly.

I will be sharing more about how to do that in my next blog entitled “Help for the Hurried Soul.” Until then, may we give our attention to becoming more like God wants us to Be, as well as what we Do.

We live in a world of constant change and transitions. These transitions bring with it, new opportunities to grow in our faith and other areas of our lives. Steve Arterburn has said: “ Every end is a new beginning , and that is true for the seasons of our lives. Just as Fall gives way to Winter, and Winter to Spring, there is something to look forward to with each new season of your life.” It is a continuing process of letting go and growing as we go forward.

Usually there is a mixed bag of emotions attached to these awkward passages in time. We can expect to sometimes feel relief, happiness, sadness, gladness, weakness and other emotions all interwoven as we adapt and adjust. It takes more than just time, it is just as important what we do with that time to make this journey better for ourselves and others around us.

I have found two particular areas to focus our mind on that are most helpful. One of these is our attitude. Dr. Sidlow Baxter was right when he stated…”What is the difference between an obstacle and and an opportunity? Our attitude towards it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity.” Our attitude is so very important, especially when our emotions are all over the map and we tend to be more upset and nervous about things dealing with changes in our circumstances.

The other thing that is helpful is our faith and our relationship with God, He gives us the strength to ride out these bumpy times and keep a good attitude. We need to remind ourselves that God is with us, that He knows our heart more than anyone; and is our source for guidance each and every day if we will seek and trust Him. Sarah Young, author of Jesus Calling and other very good devotional books says that …“Pursuing a close walk with the Lord is the best way to live in the present.” And that is where we actually live in the present, not the past or future.

I love these insightful words from Eugene Peterson: “The whole task of Christian commitment is to wed a connection between God’s past and God’s future in your personal history. Your faith takes the remembered past and the expected future and fuses them in your personality. Recollect God in the year past…all the great work He did. Anticipate Him in the year ahead.”

That is my hope and prayer for you and me.

Over the Hill…and through the Woods into the next season of my life I go…

“Everything has seasons and we have to be able to recognize something’s time has passed and be able to move into the next season.” – Dr. Henry Cloud

“For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under Heaven.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1

I want to thank the Lord for allowing me the blessing of serving on the staff of First Baptist Church since 1992. After much thought and prayer, I will be retiring at the end of February. This is a big transition for me, but one that I look forward to and embrace it as the next season in my life. I have no doubt that this is God’s timing and plan for me. I will still serve the Lord, just in different ways in the future and I am excited about it.

Linda and I will still be members of First Baptist Church, it will be our home base. After a time of rest (hibernation) and reflection, I hope to have opportunities to share an encouraging word in preaching and teaching in other churches and places. I look forward to continuing to write my blog (www.jerrybeartales.com). I also look forward to having more time for reading, some guitar picking, traveling and hiking and taking pictures along the way.

As I look back, I am overwhelmed with gratitude with this experience God has let me be a part of such a great church and wonderful community. Thank you Jesus for loving me so much by letting me being here during this time.

Happy Trails to all of you, Jerry Bear

Moving from the Holidays…into Hope for the New Year. Sometimes we don’t want the Holidays to end, other times we just want to survive them and get through them. I have had several like that,

one was being a shepherd in a live nativity and attacked by goats ( they couldn’t find sheep). The goats were strangely attracted the cologne I was wearing that night.

One the greatest gifts that God has given us, is the gift of Hope. Regardless of your experience this season, we always have a deisire for Hope in the New Year.

Hope is something we all need, yet it is not always easy to define or understand. Hope is more than just wishful thinking… it is having a quiet confidence in God, regardless of the circumstances.

I like how Lysa Terkeurst describes it: “My hope isn’t tied to my expectations finally being met in my way and in my timing. No, my hope isn’t tied to whether or not a circumstance or another person changes. My hope is tied to the unchanging promise of God. I hope for the good I know God will ultimately bring from this, whether the good turns out to match my desires or not.”

That is real hope. We often place our personal expectations in our prayers but we should not limit God to how He answers them.

This kind of hope you can count on, no matter what is going on in your life. In the Bible it is described in Hebrews 6:19 as an anchor of our soul:

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” ” -(KJ21)

“Now we have this hope as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul (it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it) a safe and steadfast hope.” – (AMPC)

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul (our lives), sure, stable, secure, strong, reliable, unshifting.” -(EXB)

“This hope we hold as the utterly reliable anchor of our souls, fixed in the very certainty of God Himself in Heaven.” – (PHL)

“We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It is an unbreakable spiritual lifeline , reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God, where Jesus, running ahead of us .” – (MSG)

Our hope in God his also defined in the Bible as our help, shield, and protector . What a stress reliever and positive difference that should make in our attitude as we trust and follow Him in our daily lives:

“We wait in hope for the Lord, He is our help and our shield.” – Psalm 33:20 (NIV)

“We depend on you, Lord, to help and protect us.” – Psalm 33:20 (CEV)

From away in the Christmas manger to our Hope for this New Year…Jesus is still our best source of Hope for each and everyday.

Wisdom from a Pelican…I have always been fascinated by watching critters and creatures that God has created. One of my favorites to watch when I am at the coast is, the Pelicans.

They are so unique, sort of graceful and awkward at the same time ( I can identify with the awkward part). Sometimes they fly with other pelicans in formation and at other times just like being by themselves. They are amazing how they can be flying along and then suddenly take a nose dive into the water to catch some fish. The Good Lord really blessed them with incredible eye sight to see below the surface of the water. Some times they just like to hang out along the boardwalk or dock. They are really special in how they adapt and adjust to their surroundings yet they do not change their demeanor, thy are just fine being themselves where ever they are.

I think we could all learn something from these funny birds, like adapting and adjusting to our circumstances without compromising who we really are. It is so easy with our busy schedules and to many things to do, we tend to forget who we really are and fall into the trap of losing our sense of Whose we really are. I am reminded of Psalm 100:3, which states…”Know that the Lord, He is God: it is He who made us, and not we ourselves.” He did not create us to be always stressed out and uptight. When we are in that state of mind, we tend to lose our patience. I think God’s critters trust God more than I do sometimes. Some how, they by instinct know how to do their part and trust God for His part in providing what they need to make it through each day.

We would also do well to look beneath the surface as they do and find out more before diving into some situations. Impulsive decisions, without getting all the facts can be harmful. It is wise to look before you leap into a major decision or commitment.

Just some thoughts I had while hanging out with Pelicans at the beach.

There is an old saying “Wearing too many hats” which means that you have too many things to do and to be at one time. In our busy, ever changing and complex world it is so easy to become overwhelmed with unrealistic expectations. Dr. James Dobson has said: “Overcommitment and exhaustion are the most insidious and pervasive marriage killers you will ever encounter as a couple.” That is also true for individuals as well. Jack Cornfield describes it this way, “When we get too caught up in the busyness of the world, we lose connection with one another and ourselves.”

I used to take a couple of days once a year to stop and analyze my priorities and schedule. That does not work as well for me now, because things nowadays can change more quickly.I have leaned to ake more frequent but shorter periods of time to adapt and adjust my schedule throughout the year.This allows for more flexibility. Along the way, some important things that I am learning are…

1. Work smarter instead of just working harder. Some times we just need to look at better and more efficient ways we approach our tasks and responsibilities. Often the problem is not the real problem, the real problem may be how we view and approach it. We may be doing the right thing but just not the right way. Check out options, take time to think about them. Pray about them. Consult trusted friends who may have the best insight in your situation.

2. Let go of unrealistic expectations. Everything does not have to be “perfect” in our life to have a good life. In our culture, we tend to be obsessed by being the “best” in everything. Good luck with that attitude. We should “do our best”, but it is unreasonable to think we can be the best in everything.

3. Refocus on your priorities. Stephen Covey, the well respected leader in time management, states that “The key is not to prioritize what is on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities first.” This helps us keep our priorities the main thing and allows us to live more by priority instead of pressure.

4. Make the best of each day. Don’t be in such a hurry to get your “to do list” done that you do not take a little time to be thankful and enjoy the simple things that you have today and and…to wear one hat at a time.

I used to enjoy going hiking in the mountains with my Miniature Daushund ( a little hot dog). She always enjoyed going places with me. I usually packed a lunch, one for me and one for her when we went hiking. As we walked she always spent a lot time stopping and sniffing…they have a big nose and like to do that sorta thing. Sometimes, I took my hammock and after lunch I would tie it up between two trees and we would take about a 30 minute nap.I would wake up and she would be snoring and sound asleep. After the nap, I would pack up and then we would hike back to my car.

Upon this occasion, as we went down the trail… we encounter about a dozen turkeys. She was shocked and startled and didn’t know what to do. Then she ran toward them barking ferociously ( I guess this was a valiant effort to protect me ) . She got within about 30 yards of them and then they spread open their feathers. This action made them look much larger. Surprised and terrified, she imediately turned around and ran as fast as she could right back to me, then she got behind me in a safer location and stated barking again. The turkeys began to flap their wings and ran towards us, I stood still with my little dog, was now shaking like leaf in a windstorm. Just before they reached us, they slowly gained enough speed to barley lift up into the air like a big airplane taking off… and then flew right over us. She looked up at them in puzzled disbelief, turning her head back and forth at them and then at me, as if to see if I thought everything was okay. I nodded my head and petted her a little bit. She was good to go from that point on and went prancing down the trail and wagging her tail as if we had just conquered the universe. My dog overcame a lot of fear that day…especially with me being there, which gave her the confidence to face and overcome her fear.

How much more, should you and I have confidence in facing our fears with God at our side? Don’t let let your fears get the best of you. Face your fears with God at your side. He is always there for you and me. Check out these bible verses that encourage us when dealing with fears…

“I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” – Psalm 34:4 (NKJV)

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

“The Lord is on my side, I will not fear.” – Psalm 118:6 (NKJV)

“For I, The Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, Fear not, I will help you.” – Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

Happy Trails to you…and watch out for those Turkeys in your life…

I am a recovering sports fan. I have mellowed through the years and I have learned how to enjoy sports more without going crazy and driving everyone else crazy that is around me. Some things I have progressively learned include:

It doesn’t matter how mad or upset I get, it isn’t going to change the outcome of the game.I am no longer over analytical or hyper-critical, I don’t suffer from “Shoulda-Coulda-Woulda” Syndrome as much as I used to, I just enjoy the game. Some fans take it to an unhealthy level and act like they are Sociological-Seismologist ( Seismology is the study of earthquakes). These fans are always searching for faults and flaws in every coach, player, play and referee’s call.There are fans who are Drama-tologist: ( too much drama, everything is a big deal, they over react to almost anything, especially things that aren’t really important.)

Then there are Gossip-tologists: These are Speculative Exercise Experts. The only exercise they ever get is “Jumping to Conclusions” and have just enough information (or misinformation) to make them dangerous and get themselves and others in trouble.

The truth is I used to be like that and some of these bad habits are in all of us, but when it is all said and done…it is still just a game. Enjoy it for what it really is…a game. We should be appreciative of the players and coaches who give their time and effort to play the game. If we do, we will enjoy watching sports more… and so will the other fans sitting around us.