Disqus - Latest Comments for humnclay

Re: Living With Integrity

humnclay — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 10:06:32 -0000

Integrity is when my theology equals my lifestyle. In order to consistently obey - to maintain integrity in all areas of my life, I must spend time with God - in prayer & in Scripture because my spiritual integrity impacts my relational & financial integrity.

It has been a hectic summer & my time with God has been scant. So on that note, I will "batten down the hatches," this weekend; find a quiet place for a few days.

These devotions have reminded me of both the "dash" & fragility of life; hence, the importance to rearrange priorities, to make time for what matters most. And only by communing with God, can I see my priorities intact & live a life of integrity, and "guard the secret theatre of my heart."

Thank you FBC for these wonderful devotions! You are a GREAT church!

Re: Building a Firm Foundation

humnclay — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:32:52 -0000

Seemingly, prayer defines our exponential degree of a personal relationship with God.

We all remember the day we encountered Jesus Christ & were saved. God became alive in us - it is a supernatural occurrence, yet we also know... that moment was very real. We all remember the genuine transformation from inside-out & the fire that was suddenly in our bones. We all can recount how new & fresh our lives were & can remember when we prayed, we prayed with a child-like faith.

And it's really neat that our supernatural encounter, yet our very real encounter & transformation...our foundation, our relationship with God began with a prayer. That's the power of prayer. And today, it sustains our pilgrimage. Child-like faith in prayer...to move mountains...gotta love it!

Re: The Enemies of Change

humnclay — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:13:45 -0000

In short, my answer to this question is everyone! I realize the majority who approach me will never reciprocate and I am truly okay with this. I do not find the need to say "no" just for the sake that I can deny them. I am thankful I have the opportunity & ability. I am not a rich person but I can do some things. This does not make me a doormat. It reminds me of the parable about talents - how the good stewards returned profits & one buried the talent. Thus, it is my ideal that when one is served, it will benefit many. And sometimes the phone calls are exclusively for the benefit of others. I am at a point in my life where I am beginning to fully embrace that less is more. There are times I become discomposed when I am in need. And although I sometimes just want to cry - I can never well a tear. And this reminds me of the only time Jesus wept was at the death of Lazarus. Perhaps Jesus was grieved with his friends; or perhaps it because of the ravages of sin & death upon a nation. But it was He who raised Lazarus & died for a nation. And so it is with me...I must empathize with & sacrificially serve those around me for His glory. And just as I typed the last period of the last sentence, a knock on my door....

Re: The Necessity of Change

humnclay — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:13:45 -0000

I am one of those people who believes that nothing is by accident, that everything has a purpose and/or an opportunity. Given the time of year, I am currently spending more time at home & am required to be out & about less often; a nice reprieve. But for the past few days, for the brief moments I am out, I have begun to notice the amount of people, all strangers who I unexpectedly encounter; I am amazed at the number and further, all these people initiated conversation - they were the "ice breakers!" Whether its the gentleman at the bank who I see again moments later at the dry cleaners, the lady in the parking lot of the grocery store, the gentleman working on his car in another bank's parking lot, the bank tellers, or a young man walking along the beach who starts a conversation while I am standing in front of my business. However brief the encounter is, I hope to leave an impression that reflects the love & peace of God. And maybe more! All this is in addition to people who have my phone number or knock on the door. So, it's exciting to contemplate who I might encounter today!

Tattoos can be a great starting place but one always has to be cautious. I am 46 years-old and have always trusted my intuition about people. But I will say life has taught me a lesson in recent years. On the beach, we get ALL walks of life. And sometimes when the intimidating, "bad" tough-looking fellow comes to my business I say to myself, "oh no!!!" But often, they begin with, "may I please...yes, thank you...excuse me but..." Although scary looking, many have been courteous, respectful and overall very pleasant. For some, perhaps their fashion sense is all about trends. For others, perhaps it is a masquerade, an armor, a guard, or a concealment of pain endured - perhaps so much pain they need to look "tough" so that everyone else is too intimidated to try to ever inflict pain. Regardless of their reason of fashion sense, there is always beauty to find.

Random encounters teach me a lot - I am always learning. And I am learning to be more cognizant of random encounters. I tend to wait for the ice-breaker; tattoos can be a great discussion point, but I would proceed the conversation with caution - sensing a compelling spirit. Perhaps you never speak of God's eternal plan, perhaps you do. But we can always reflect God's love, peace & goodness to the world - and they will notice.

This is my own learning curve and I admit, I need to be more bold at times.

Re: Be Who You Are!

humnclay — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:44:59 -0000

There are churches in my locale but none of which I visit. This is not the Bible Belt. I do not know any Christians except the "zealot" who wears a "Jesus Saves" sign & passes out tracks to the crowds during the summer months - and yes indeed, he takes a lot of abuse. I am 1400 miles from my family, ergo at the moment my life is predominantly invested in my business, colleagues & the overflow from these relationships. I have been part of this community for 18 years but I've spent the last 7 years becoming an integral part of this community. I am aware of the impact I leave on people's lives and I have worked hard to earn their respect, but most importantly I've earned their trust - principally, through serving - not public office - just serving, loving, being sensitive to & helping with one's need, one person at a time. Being a seasonal resident, this process has taken time. I am amazed at how many folks come to me, all walks of life. Compassionate or physically serving comes easy for me. This is difficult for me to write but I know what my focus must be - and that is to point them to Jesus Christ. This is a great opportunity which is exhilarating but it is also scary - it is not my ideal situation! Speaking out on politically incorrect subjects or being labeled is frightening. I've always been one to think I do not care what happens to me, yet here I am in a faithless, self-preservation. But over & over the Bible illustrates what one person is capable of if they step-out in faith. When did I ever care what people thought when I deemed my convictions to be right?

Re: Attitude of Gratitude

humnclay — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:32:47 -0000

n accessing my sense of gratitude, seemingly I take much for granted. In deconstructing the why's perhaps some ingratitude in part, is due to the fact that I have so much I do not need. Life becomes so full of other stuff that I sometimes miss my greatest blessings & what is most important. When I remove all the junk in my life and the small & insignificant details then I can see & express true gratitude. I do not believe there is anything wrong with enjoying the fruits of one's labor but seemingly there should be some balance, responsibility & accountability taken, along with reasonableness. "When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change." I believe this is applicable to all things, including people. We all are "tools" and sometimes we hurt each other but if we consider the trials are for the benefit, growth & refining both to ourselves & others, that the hurt is temporary and let go of the insignificant details, then we can encounter people, circumstances & even material objects differently, with a sense of gratitude.