Responding in Obedience

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:

Who should I send?
Who will go for Us?

I said:

Here I am. Send me.  -Isaiah 6:8 (HSCB)  

Our Senior Pastor Kevin praying over my wife and I

On March 30, 2014, my wonderful better half and I came forward at the end of our church's 9:30 service responding to God's call on our lives.  For a few years, God had been speaking this into my life and my future, that he wanted me to serve Him full-time in vocational ministry.  I always had doubts, or giving God answers as to why it wasn't me.  Then when I accepted this could be in my future, it became about timing.  See in my mind, I had thought that this would be something after I was done with my "working" or "professional" life.  However, in the opening months of 2014, God really began to speak to me about responding to His call now.  Even though it made no sense (more on that in a moment), it became very clear that to be obedient, we needed to respond.  Since we came forward and made public our decision, God has affirmed our decision.  The peace that comes after a decision like this has been the biggest affirmation, but there are other circumstantial things that have happened that have made it clear that we are stepping in obedience to God.

But back to the "how it doesn't make sense to me."

(1) It doesn't make sense now because I just changed jobs back in July.  Well, God spoke to me back in July "If you ever were going to do what I really want you to do, you had to leave Chick-fil-A eventually."

(2) It doesn't make sense because we have four kids, lots of bills, high medical needs, one income, my wife homeschools and ministers to our children and financially, this doesn't seem to look right to us - in our mind. Answer: But to God, this makes perfect sense - even in the areas of job, finances and children.  Where God guides, He provides.  We are going to have to trust in His provision daily (Give us this day our daily bread).  This response doesn't mean I'm quitting my job tomorrow, and I may be where I'm at for several more years, or several more months, only God knows.  Responding is also what Isaiah did in the scripture mentioned at the beginning.  "Here I am.  Send me."  That is the desire of our heart.  When God is ready to move us, just as He did in July, He'll move us.  He will provide the means for my kids for college.  He will provide the means for medical care.  He will enable us to pay for Seminary. He will provide all of our needs (and sometimes some wants, too).  A verse I've been meditating on, but not practicing well at times is this year is John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."  If God is truly calling us, just like everyone else we see in scripture, He will make a way.  Remember Gideon with the 300 men?  Joshua at Jericho?  Abraham and Isaac?  I know all of those are completely different circumstances where God is communicating different things to us, but in all circumstances, they seemed impossible.  We are reminded in the story of Mary that "For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37).  I heard a message recently about this - that God STARTS with the impossible and goes from there.  Amen.

(3) It doesn't make sense because of my past.  I could list hundreds of scriptures that totally refute this, but in my human mind, it still is a challenge.  How can God us me?  He's proven that to me over and over again, see my testimony, three mission trips to Romania, many areas of service in church and in the community.  One can also look at scripture and see that God used a little shepherd boy to slay a Giant (David).  God used a man with a speech problem to lead His people out of slavery (Moses).  God used a very old man who struggled with alcohol to save the human race during the flood (Noah).  God used a man who denied Jesus three times in His greatest hour of need, to bring 3,000 to Salvation on the day of Pentecost (Peter).  God used a teenage girl, unwed and engaged to a carpenter to bring into the world our Savior (Mary). The scripture I'm reminded of  is

"But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.  So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (II Cor 12:9-10)

See God works with us most when we think He'll work with us the least.  I just pray I can remain obedient to have Him use me the most.

While I have some thoughts, we don't yet know exactly what area of ministry we'll be in, but the great news is that we don't have to know today. This is a journey and we'll follow God's call and lead day by day.  We also have a great church staff and family that will lead, support and love us on this journey, too.

What's exciting is that I'm one of a few men that have responded recently to a call to full-time ministry in our church.  This is an answer to prayer of our church leadership.  I think its only the beginning.  We have begun praying for each other and talking regularly.

I plan on blogging my ministry journey on this site.  You may be thinking, "how can I help?"  We would love to have your prayers.  Here's how you can pray for us today:

• That God would protect our family from spiritual attacks.  We have been under attack even before this, and since March, it has increased.
• That God would grow my wife and I closer to Him and to each other
• That we would trust in God's perfect provision and perfect timing - especially as it pertains to work, Seminary, ministry direction and timing, expenses for our kids' college and school.
• That God would provide time for me to take advantage of Seminary opportunities and some specific opportunities to be mentored at our church.
• That God would keep our family time and priorities in balance during this transitional season.
• That when God reveals where and when, our family would be clear, united and faithful to Him.

Thank you and May God bless you abundantly!

A revisit with Gratitude

Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)

 Its been a tough season in our household the last couple of months.  I won't bore you with the details, but lets just say that we've had three major illnesses, one surgery, and many other life situations that have occurred since December.  I'll be honest with you - even though I feel that i normally handle these types of life events well since I trusted God to get me sober and since I gave my life to Christ, I've really struggled the last few months with everything going on.

After being challenged in my quiet times and while listening to one of my favorite podcasts, I began logging a prayer journal during this time, too.  While I haven't been able to do it every day, I've been at it quite regularly in the last six weeks.  Today, while getting ready for my day, I started writing in my prayer journal and that's when it hit me.  I've neglected practicing something that I teach to my kids, to my Connect Group and to people who ask me for advice.  I've neglected something I learned several years ago that was very valuable in my recovery.  You can even read about that something on this blog site.  

Gratitude.

I've not been practicing Gratitude much lately.  So what did I do this morning?  I read the scripture above and then completed a task that has helped me immensely over the years.  What's that you ask?  

A Gratitude list.

If you've never completed one, I recommend you go right now, sit down and write down everything you are grateful for. Its a very powerful exercise.  Today, I took 3 pages of things I'm grateful for.  Remember, I wrote this as a prayer to God, so a small sample of my list is:

• That You saved me
• That You saved my marriage
• Music talents in our house and regular worship time
• My grandparents are with You in heaven
• Davis' hospital bills are resolved
• I live in the south
• I have a good job
• You've given me a great mind, heart, body and spirit
• Spiritual gifts
• Our house and cars
• Great neighbors
• Family & Friends
• Great church family
• Revival
• Romania
• USA
• Love
• Faith 
• Hope
• Purpose

As you can see my list spans everything, from material things to spiritual things and from temporal things to eternal things.  That's okay.  Your gratitude list should be as complete as possible and may resemble similar things.

Scripture tells us to give thanks IN all circumstances (1 Thess 5) and to give thanks FOR all circumstances (Eph 5) and to make all requests with thanksgiving (Phil 4).  The result of doing that is peace in our hearts, that peace that transcends all understanding.  

We all go through tough times.  All of us do.  One of the last things Jesus tells his disciples before being arrested, tried and crucified for us was "In this world, you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world." -John 16:33.  I have found that Gratitude is a powerful tool that Jesus gave us for those tough times and troubles.  

I encourage you, whether it is a tough season or great season, to reflect on this.

What are you  grateful for?

"GOOD"byes are always hard

Today marks the conclusion of a chapter in my life as I finish my career at Chick-fil-A and move on to an opportunity that God is calling me towards.  When you are in a GOOD place, with GOOD people, doing GOOD things for God, "GOOD"byes are very difficult....and they should be.  I wanted to share with you, -er, my better half wanted me to share with you the letter I sent to my colleagues as I leave today.

23 July 2013

Dear Chick-fil-A Family and Friends,

I’ve heard it said that if you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.  I planned on retiring here at Chick-fil-A.  I planned on accomplishing many specific things while here at Chick-fil-A.  However, God had other ideas.  Chandler, Davis, Jackson, Tori, Carter and I know that God is in this next step in our journey.  However, my family and I also are sad to say goodbye to so many wonderful people.  Social Media and other forms of 21^st Century communication will allow us to stay “in touch” but it won’t be the same.  There won’t be the cups of coffee or tea in breakroom.  There won’t be the college football jeering and jesting in the fall.  There won’t be the prayer groups and book studies.  So my family and I have to mourn the loss of that, but we also celebrate that God is moving in our life.  I also celebrate what God has done in you and through you during my family’s time here.  I want to leave you with a couple of thoughts.

·         Gratitude

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.“ -1 Thess 5:18

I am eternally grateful for all the relationships formed over the past 13+ years.  It’s because of those relationships that I began to open up and share struggles in life (Galatians 6:2).  It’s because of relationships that I learned that our Heavenly Father wants a relationship with all of us through His son Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9).  It’s because of relationships that I began to share my faith, go on mission trips, and now am called out to go make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) elsewhere.  It’s because of relationships that I learned how to be a better husband, a better father, a better friend and a better employee at Chick-fil-A (Proverbs 27:17) .   I’ve also learned that gratitude is an action word, not a state of being.  I have to choose to be grateful.  No matter the circumstances, God calls us all to be grateful as everything comes from Him anyways.  I encourage all of you to practice gratitude daily.  If you’re like me, you may have to “fake it til you make it”.  I had to when I first came to Christ in 2007.  I’ve given you a copy of the most beautiful and profound quote about gratitude I’ve ever read.  I came across it in my devotional Bible in 2008 and have kept it with me ever since.  I pray that you are encouraged and strengthened as much as I am through this quote. 

·         Encouragement

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thess 5:11

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” –Hebrews 3:13

I have been encouraged by all of you over the years.  Whether it was to keep going on my weight loss journey,  keep training for the marathon,  keep the course in my walk with the Lord, or just a random compliment in the café, so many of you have been such an encouragement to me.  I pray that I was able to return encouragement to you as well.  I remember early in my career Jimmy Collins (retired Chick-fil-A president) telling the staff, “You know how you can tell if someone needs encouragement?  If they are breathing.”  I pray you keep up an encouraging environment here.  Remember, if someone’s name pops into your mind or your heart, it could be God prompting you to go encourage them.  I can’t tell you what it’s meant to me when I get a random compliment from someone in the hall or in the café.  God works through your smiles and your kind words. 

·         Humility

Humility is not humiliation.  Humility is not saying “I can’t”.  Humility is saying confidently, “I can do that, but only with the help of God”.  Humility comes from having a posture towards God that acknowledges He is sovereign, He is Creator and He is in charge.  Humility results in forgiveness, gratitude, generosity and kindness.  Having a humble spirit has helped me recognize that if it weren’t for God, I wouldn’t be here.  I started in 2000 with quite a bit of pride and learned how to be humble.  I learned how to be a servant here, but it wasn’t until I truly humbled myself to God.  We have the ultimate example of humility in Jesus.  Paul wrote to the church in Philippi:

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.    –Philippians 2:1-11

·         Genuine/Authenticity

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;  love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” –Romans 12:9-10

My final point is that I hope I am remembered as being Genuine and Authentic.  I encourage you to be just that towards each other.  I had a conversation last week where I said, “Don’t underestimate the power of having cups of coffee with each other”.  I learned what being genuine and authentic really means here.  I have yet to regret sharing what’s really going on in my life with someone and being genuine.  Growing a small company successfully, in my opinion, involves being authentic with each other. 

I know God has big plans for Chick-fil-A.  Please know that I will continue to pray for you and thank God for you (1 Thess 1:2).   I know some of us will continue our relationship, while for others this is where the road ends on this side of eternity.  I will continue to press on, as Paul says, and look forward to seeing you on that Great Day.   My family and I are sad about saying goodbye.  This was a VERY difficult decision for us.  However, I rejoice knowing that God is working in our lives and in your lives, too.  God has big plans not only for Chick-fil-A, but also for YOU and your family. 

My final words to you come from the book of Numbers, and know that I earnestly pray these words over all of you. 

“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.” –Numbers 6:24-26

Until we meet again, be abundantly blessed!

Karl D. Riddett

kriddett@gmail.com

Gratitude

We learn the magical lesson that making the most of what we have turns it into more.

Say thank you, until you mean it.

Thank God for everyone and everything sent your way. Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. It turns problems into gifts, failures into successes, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. It can turn an existence into a real life, and disconnected situations into important and beneficial lessons. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

Gratitude makes things right.

Gratitude turns negative energy into positive energy. There is no situation or circumstance so small or large that it is not susceptible to gratitude’s power. We can start with who we are and what we have today, apply gratitude, then let it works its magic.

Say thank you, until you mean it. If you say it long enough, you will believe it.

-Melody Beattie

Today, I will shine the transforming light of gratitude on all the circumstances of my life.