Category: Hope

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Problem Solving Life

The art of movie making is a disaster in the mix. With so many variables in play, we shouldn’t be surprised how movies bomb in the theater. Actually, with so many variables I am amazed at how many movies succeed. From studios to actors to producers to directors to set builders to script writers and rewrites, the possibility for something going wrong seems inevitable. That anything comes together perfect like a puzzle is amazing in and of itself.

David Sandberg, who directed the hit movie, Shazaam!, says movie making is really about problem solving. Just getting Zachary Levi’s character to fly through a shopping mall is one problem. So you shoot three stunt guys dressed in blue pushing an oversized “tuning fork” with Levi attached to it running through the mall. Then you painstakingly erase all the blue pixels from the scene only to realize too late that crew members were seen in the scene. So in come the CGI guys who add gift bags and mops to the crew members and suddenly they’re shoppers and custodians. Problem solved.

One of the most powerful moments in all of Star Trek became more powerful by accident. Admiral Kirk witnesses his son being murdered by the Klingons. The scene called for him to step back and stumble into his command chair, uttering his line, “You Klingon (explicative)! You murdered my son!” Instead, Shatner tripped on the stage platform and fell backward. Staying in character, he uttered his line making his appeal even more emotional than he would have otherwise. The scene went to print. Problem solved.

Getting through life is often a disaster in the mix. Anything and everything that could go wrong usually does. A couple step into retirement to spend the rest of their lives together, only to discover life cut short from cancer. A professional’s career is secure until the market turns and he’s left without a job. A friendship parts way, maybe over unmet expectations or maybe over politics, and both mourn the loss. Or maybe a pandemic breaks out and people either fall ill or divide even more so because no one trusts anyone or the government. Unsolved problems.

5000 people followed Jesus and when they were hungry he fed them. A blind man sat on the road and he cried out to Jesus and he healed him. The disciples were fearing for their lives in a boat on the lake when Jesus calmed the storm. A multitude of people listened, wanting answers to living and Jesus delivered the Word of God. The world needed redeemed so the Lamb of God took away their sins. Problems solved.

Sandberg admits that “every scene has its own problems to solve no matter the scene.” The job of the director is to solve the problems as they materialize. No melt downs and instead, a non-anxious presence. Sometimes the problems end up creating the best solutions for the movie that the writers never imagined.

Not long ago Andy Stanley was attributed to a post on FaceBook. In it he recalls talking to an 87-year-old who lived through polio, diphtheria, Vietnam protests and is still enchanted with life. In the midst of this COVID-19 Pandemic, one might expect him to feel the anxiety and pressure brought on by this disease. He said, “I learned a long time ago to not see the world through printed headlines. I see the world through the people that surround me. I see the world with the realization that we love big. Therefore, I choose (to direct my own scenes): ‘Husband loves wife today;’ “Family drops everything to come to Grandma’s bedside.’” He pats (Andy’s) hand, “Old man makes new friend.” Problem solved.

So life is not about solving problems, it’s about framing your life. But most encounters we experience bring on problems. And we have a choice. We can easily become exasperated and discouraged, throwing our hands up in the air in despair. Or we can make do and reframe the scene to capture a better moment. And who knows, maybe the problems we face create the best solutions for our life that we never imagined.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e., only God is glorified!)

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HOPE: Inside An Herodian Jail Cell

Alone … Despair … Uncertainty … Doubt … Second Guessing … Fear …
Worry … Anxiety … Abandonment … Forsaken.

When you’re left to your own thoughts, you can easily fall into a dark hole by over analyzing everything. As John the Baptist sat in Herod’s prison these are some of the words that came to my mind that may describe the prophet.

I always saw John as bold and courageous. With his Elijah-like ruggedness, he prepared the way for Christ by calling people to repentance. When soldiers came for baptism he challenged them to act with integrity. When the religious leaders showed up to hear him preach, he called them out for their hypocrisy. And even behind bars, when given a hearing before Herod, he confronted the immoral relationship with his brother’s wife.

But maybe living in a dungeon kinda gets to you.

So when his own disciples brought him news of what Jesus was doing, the doubt surfaced. Was Jesus the One they were waiting for? Was his preaching to prepare the way for Jesus on task? So he sent two of his disciples to inquire of the Lord (Lk. 7:18-19). And the response John received was far from a simple “yes” or “no” answer. Jesus forced John to connect the dots.

First, Jesus returns to the Jubilee theme of Luke 4:18-19 by reminding John’s disciples what they’ve witnessed: the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cured, deaf hear, dead are raised and good news is preached to the poor (Lk. 7:22). If the proof is in the pudding, then sit back and look at what Jesus has done. Beyond the miraculous nature of Jesus’ ministry lies a more important message. Jesus is pointing John back to Isaiah to remind him how he’s fulfilling Isaiah’s Messianic prophecy (see Is. 29:18-19; 35:5-6; 42:18; 43:8; 61:1-2).

Secondly, Jesus utters a blessing (i.e. a beatitude?) for John’s disciples, “Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me” (Lk. 7:23). I’ve struggled to understand why Jesus saw himself as a possible stumbling block to faith. Sure, I heed the warning. My actions and my words can (and sadly have) drive someone away from Christ. I get that. But how does Jesus own such words?

To say Jesus’ ministry was controversial is an understatement; it certainly held a scandalous layer to it. Simeon had predicted the fall of many in association with Jesus’ presence (Lk. 2:34). Throughout his ministry, Jesus offended the established to the point they were willing to execute him. Families divided will found themselves pitted against each other as some were whole heartedly willing to follow Jesus and others rejected him (Lk. 12:51-53). And even now, John’s imprisonment was a sign of Jesus’s coming.

So the blessing that Jesus pronounces (v. 23) is clearly owned by Jesus. He knew the controversy surrounding himself and feared losing people on the “drop-out track.” Thus, John can find strength and security in knowing Jesus is exactly who he thought he was before the doubt set in. His suffering in prison continues the preparatory role for Christ as one who must suffer himself (see v. 27).

And what about us? Following Jesus can still carry a divisive layer to discipleship. Sometimes Christ is lightening rod in relationships. We can be shunned, rejected and abandoned by friends and family because of our loyalty to Jesus. In our walk with him we can face loneliness and feel we walk alone. But like John, it’s in the solitude of our faith we find hope.

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Ray of Hope: Renew, Recast, Re-Envision

While visiting family over Thanksgiving, I found myself at the local Save-A-Lot store running errands for my mother-in-law. With my adult daughter, Taylor, in tow, we tried purchasing the correct corn meal and other items on the list (“tried” is the key word). However, outside the story was a Christian recovery group selling items like bracelets, necklaces and t-shirts. Intrigued, we stopped to look at their table. As we sorted through the merchandise, we saw one that caught our eyes. Playing off of the drug epidemic and recovery angle, it said, “Hope Dealer.” In true fashion, I purchased the shirt.

Soon after arriving at Sunshine, Gabe Coriell approached me about the possibility of doing a daily one minute radio spot. He thought with my storytelling background, a presence over the airwaves was not only possible but a positive move. After much discussions and vision planning, he, along with the other deacons, embraced Ray of Hope. We wanted an uplifting message rooted in Scripture, without using Scripture to pound its message. The world is filled with too much adverse messages, so we counter the negative with the positive. We wanted to offer hope. In March of 2018 it began to air on The Mix WNXT 99.3. We settled on a set time of 7:25 am and a floating time for the afternoon to appear sometime between 2:00-6:00, and then a repeat of one episode on Saturdays.

Ray of Hope made the positive impression we desired. The feedback was always encouraging. People were listening.

But the one flaw of radio ministry has two related elements to it. First, it’s expensive to purchase airtime. The cost for Ray of Hope was usually six hundred plus dollars a month. Over the long haul, that’s a lot of money to invest on a monthly basis. That leads to the second element, long term commitment is needed before you start realizing the benefits. If Ray of Hope was to have the maximum results possible (e.g. people attending our services), maybe we’ll see them after five year presence on the radio. Maybe. Significant funds is needed to sustain such a ministry. A number of churches have those resources. Unfortunately, Sunshine does not.

Last summer, Gabe, Aaron Kallner and I began talking options. What direction can we take Ray of Hope? To be honest, as much work as it took to write a daily spiritual message, I loved the ministry. But the truth was it was not going to be sustainable. We talked. We prayed. We tried envisioning what to do.

Enter another option. With the launch of Sunshine’s new website, an opportunity to reach more people through an online presence has been realized. Ray of Hope was not about to be shut down but re-envisioned. We will be creating an audio recording, like before, and formatting it to a podcast linked to our website. Jacob Miller is working on dynamic artwork to accompany the audio portion. Instead of a daily moment, we will be posting 2-3 podcasts weekly accessed through the church’s website and FaceBook.

I will miss the radio version of Ray of Hope, especially since a large number of people have tuned in for the message (and it helped that I grew up on the importance of radio as a medium for messaging). But as Bob Dylan once wrote, “The times they are a-changin,” and the online presence is both affordable and prolific. I am excited about this new opportunity to renew, recast and to re-envision a message of hope for everyone. After all, I am a “Hope Dealer.”

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)

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Trying to Psalm 148 When You’re Stuck in Psalm 130

The day is burned into my memory, and was the first marker of hope in four months of darkness. My dad had passed away before Christmas in 2003. He was a recipient of a liver transplant in 1997, but nearly seven years later he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We had a family reunion to say “goodbye” to him at Thanksgiving, and after the first of the year we held a memorial service for him. While each of my brothers spoke, I gave the eulogy. 

What I never expected was how deep and dark the hole I was sinking into was going to be. For three months I never saw the Son’s ray break through the darkness, and there were times when I thought I’d never see the Son’s rays again. What made this journey more difficult was that I was preaching at the time. Every week I was standing before my congregation with a message of hope, given by someone who had all but lost hope. I distinctly remember one Sunday morning when my lips and tongue told the congregation of God’s love and mercy, but my mind was telling me, “I don’t believe it.” I was worshiping from Psalm 148, but emotionally and spiritually, I was living in Psalm 130. 

Psalm 148 is filled with hope, praise and adoration to God. God receives the glory and recognition for his creation. Everyone and everything bursts forth in praise. At the end of Psalm 148 everyone feels good, for God is in control. However, Psalm 130 is filled with despondency. The Psalmist is in the depths of despair and keeps crying out to God, a God who is not responding to the prayers of the Psalmist. It’s hard to strengthen your faith when hope is all but lost. 

So when the Psalmist stands before us and calls out Psalm 148 but you’re stuck in Psalm 130, what can you do? As someone who has been in that situation before, allow me to share with you some thoughts. 

● If you’re looking for a reason for the darkness, you may not find it. Ultimately, does knowing a reason change your response to your situation?  The story of Job places the audience in the “know” but keeps Job in the “unknown.” We know why Job was enduring suffering, but God never explains the reason to him. Maybe God knew Job wouldn’t understand, or maybe God needed Job to act in faith and to praise God in the midst of his pain, not in the absence of it. Never underestimate the power of praising the Light in the midst of darkness. 

● Draw from what you know is true, and your feelings will catch up. That morning I was preaching, I spoke the truth, though emotionally and in the moment I had a hard time believing. Given time, my feelings caught up to truthful faith and I whole heartedly believed what I said was the truth. Even if you’re stuck in Psalm 130, go ahead and sing your heart out in Psalm 148 because at some point, you’ll believe the words in Psalm 148.

● Remember that God’s final answer to suffering is the cross. When your life situation forces you to quote Psalm 22:1, remember that Jesus quoted that same verse as well. Take comfort and knowing that Jesus sits with you, not only through the darkness, but when the Psalmist is calling the assembly to Psalm 148 and you’re stuck in Psalm 130, he is praising God with you and the congregation (see Psalm 22:22;  Heb. 2:12).   

So if you’re stuck in Psalm 130, above anything else, keep reading Psalm 130. Even when the Psalmist cries out to God, his faith is fully entrenched in God, “I wait for the Lord . . . and in his word, I put my hope” (Ps. 130:5). Your faith needs that same entrenchment.

So the day that is burned into my memory is not the day my words and my mind held a crisis of faith. The day burned into my memory is that Sunday morning I turned to Cile and said, “The Son broke through this morning. Today, I worshiped.” What he did for me, he’ll do for you. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. Only God is Glorified!)