Why God Works Through His Children

I got to go on my yearly hunting trip last week. It is always one of the highlights of my year. The hunting trip always represents a time of refocusing and refreshing for me. Getting out in the woods before daylight, watching the sun come up and seeing and hearing the world come alive, smelling the sharpness of the pine trees and the earth and rotting leaves, seeing frost on the trees, watching squirrels and turkeys and deer, and getting to harvest a nice deer are important connection points with creation for me. I always come away from the hunting trip with new perspective.

The trip also is a good time of bonding for me with other men in my life. Each of them represent a different type of relationship. There is my father-in-law, the older, somewhat eccentric, sometimes frustrating, but very likeable old codger around camp.

Then, there's Robby, our worship pastor at The Crossroads, and one of my best friends. I've only known Robby for six months now, but he and I just really work well together. It was a joy to get to spend time with Robby in the relaxed atmosphere of a deer camp. Plus, he's great to bring along since he cooked New York Strip steaks for us one night (even if he did get himself the biggest one :-).

Landon is a teenager whom I have known for almost eight years now. I baptized Landon, have prayed for him, fought for him, cried for him, and loved him. I took Landon hunting for the first time last year and the rascal killed a nine-point. Landon is fun to have on a hunting trip. He brings a lot of energy and excitement.

But the greatest joy was taking my son, James. James has been going hunting with me since he was about five years old. He just started carrying a gun with him last year, though. Last year, he had the opportunity to kill a deer, but I wouldn't let him because I wasn't aware of a fine point of the law (oops). But this year, he had another opportunity. He killed his first deer on Monday, November 24, at 10:30 a.m. It was a spike buck (two points for those of you who don't know deer-hunting lingo), and he shot it from about 60 yards away. James saw the deer before I did, and got his gun up and got ready. The deer, however, was walking away from us. James was getting pretty frustrated, but I told him to calm down and that I would try to get the deer to turn around. I used my grunt call, and got the deer to come back toward us, giving James his opportunity.



James had gotten his rifle last Christmas. It was a .243 that belonged to my grandmother. She was no longer able to hunt, so she gave it to James. She passed away this summer, so it was a special gift for James.

It took us a couple of hours to find the deer because there wasn't really any kind of trail for us to track it, but I was determined that we were not going to leave the woods without that deer. Several of the other guys came to help us look for it, but James and I together were the ones who actually found the deer.

Two days later, I went out by myself (James decided it was too cold for him to get out on the stand) and got a ten-point, one of the nicest bucks I have ever killed. But, I have to tell you, I wasn't even half as excited about killing my buck as I was about James killing his.



So, here's the huge lesson that God spoke to me about through that experience. I killed a much bigger deer than my son. I am a more experienced, more skilled hunter than my son. I can make better shots that lead to a quicker, cleaner kill with a whole lot less nervousness. I can sit still quieter and longer than he can. At this point, deer hunting is tremendously easier for me than it is for him. And yet, I was infinitely more excited about him killing his deer than about me killing mine. I'm talking fist-pumping, high-fiving, shouting, can't wipe the smile off my face kind of excitement.

So why is that? Because I take so much delight in my son that I would rather see him do what he can (even if it's not as "good" or "easy" as I could have done it) than just doing it myself. And here's the huge spiritual lesson that God hit me over the head with. That's why God delights to use us fragile, messed-up, failure prone, nervous, doubting, humans to fulfill his plan. It's because he delights in seeing his work done through his children.

Yeah, sure, he could just do it himself, and he could do it better and quicker and easier. But, it's not just about getting the job done. It's about watching his children try, watching our attempts to please him and follow him, watching as we often mess up and make mistakes, but then screaming his head off cheering for us when we get it right and taking absolute delight in us when we fulfill his will for our lives and for eternity. He's a proud father who would rather see his children's attempts to please him and follow him, who would rather accomplish his work through us, than just to do it himself.

Man, thank you God for using us. Thank you for my amazing son who has been teaching me about you from the very first moment he came into this world. I am truly blessed.

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

Saturday afternoon at about 1 o’clock, I got a call from Brick’s youngest daughter asking me to come to their house. Brick’s breathing had changed, and the family had called hospice to bring oxygen. Brick’s breathing was labored and shallow, and this continued to worsen throughout the day. I went to see Brick, but had to leave to perform a wedding ceremony that afternoon (such a surreal juxtaposition of life and death). I returned that night to see Brick and went home at about 10 o’clock. At 1:15 a.m., Brick’s oldest daughter called to tell me that he had passed away. He went peacefully and without much pain.

There will be a memorial service Saturday, March 10, at 10 a.m. in the Pottsboro High School Auditorium.

Thank you, God, for such an awesome, incredible friend and for giving him grace and peace as he faced death.

Well done, Brick.

Update on Brick

Not much new to report here, but I know many of you have been checking the site to find out what is going on. Brick's condition continues to worsen slightly each day. He is confined to bed and seems to be experiencing some pain, though that is being managed well with medication. Continue to pray for him and his family.

Brick's Condition

I haven't blogged in a while because I have been pretty focused on Brick's condition. Not much new to report there. His condition continues to worsen slightly each day. He now cannot hear at all and is sleeping pretty much around the clock. He also cannot see very well and cannot speak clearly. So, during his last days, his communication with others is pretty limited. Because Brick cannot really interact with others, it would be great if you would pray for him to have an awesome sense of God's presence right now and that he would be able to spend time worshiping God. Also pray for God to give him grace and mercy for the time he has left.

The End of the Journey

This picture hangs on the wall of my office. It is a picture of a through-hiker who has come to Mount Katadhin, Maine, the end of the 2,100 mile Appalachian Trail. The title of the photo is "The End of the Journey."

I looked at the picture last night as I was on my way out the door to go visit my friend Brick in the hospital. Brick is going home today. His cancer has advanced to the point that his doctors advise against doing any further radiation treatment. So, Brick is home to spend whatever time he has left with his wife and daughters. He has just about come to the end of the journey. He has walked the trail well, and I am pleased to be one of the ones who comes behind him.

Brick continues to amaze me as he handles himself with grace and faith. Although he can barely see or hear and has difficulty speaking, he continues to show incredible concern for others and leaves everyone who sees him amazed at his love for them.

I do not like having to let go of Brick. He has been an awesome friend and example. Brick is coming to the end of the journey, but there is something more incredible awaiting him.

Pray for Brick

My friend, Brick James, was admitted to the hospital last night with complications related to his ongoing battle with cancer. He is now having difficulty seeing, hearing, eating, and walking. The cancer is advancing very rapidly at this point. Please continue to be in prayer for Brick and his wife and two daughters at this time.

Feeling Kinda Blue

I'm feeling kinda blue today. The world does not feel an awful lot like heaven just now. I just found out yesterday that one of my best friends, Brick James, has had a reoccurence of cancer. Brick was first diagnosed with melanoma seven years ago. He has had several surgeries and treatments over the last several years. Yesterday he learned that a tumor in his brain was growing back, that there was a tumor in his neck, and that there were now cancer cells in his spinal column. There is not much to do now as far as surgical options go, so he will be undergoing chemotherapy to try to at least slow the progress of the cancer.

Brick is one of the most authentic followers of Christ I have ever met. He is an awesome friend, an often mentor, a sometimes counselor to me, someone who holds me accountable and who isn't afraid to get in my face and be really honest. Please pray for him.