Testing Through Trials

Introduction

Anyone ever been in a trial before?

You’ve had your faith tested?

I look back over the course of my life and I can remember many trials that the Lord used in my life.

As of recently, I have just began to uncover the ways God has used those trials to refine me.

Here is the truth of the matter… there are still more to come.

This morning, I’d love to tell you my story. As I walk through my story, I want to encourage you with what the Lord taught me through some of my life’s hardest times.

Before I start, I want to share about something that describes this life so well!

When I was growing up, there was this lady that would visit our house weekly.

I became really familiar with her. She was young, always had a smile on her face, and had really bright red hair.

My mom and dad built a solid relationship with this lady. Her name was Debbie.

She was pretty known around town where I grew up. It was super common to run into her in the gas station, the grocery story, and sometimes would visit me during lunch at school as a kid growing up!

She was also friends with my friend’s families! I’d go into their house when I was invited to come over, and low and behold, she’d be sitting there just a smiling.

It got really strange when I moved to Birmingham and I ran into her in the Target in Homewood, Alabama..

I am not kidding when I say this, it was like she followed me places. I couldn’t escape her!

I have ran into her in Orlando, Birmingham, New York City, and she’s even been to my house here in Decatur...

This would make sense if I showed you a picture of her.

*Show Picture

Anyone in here ever had a relationship with Little Debbie? One of the best bakers I know. She stopped visiting my house after I married a wife who’s healthy.

The best thing Little Debbie makes are swiss rolls.

When I was a kid, I’d eat three or four a day. No issues.

Now… I can’t. And every time I go home to visit my family, it has turned into a battlefield.

This battlefield is called temptation.

To eat it, or to not eat it.

When we walk through life, when we build relationships, as we go through our days, we are faced with trials and temptations. This is a reality. In fact, this is assured within God’s word!

James 1:2–8 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

There is purpose in the trial. There is purpose in the temptation.

The First Decade

I was born and raised in a small town outside of Albany, Georgia. The town was called Leesburg.

The population of that town was about 3500. Albany being around the size of Decatur.

My Mother and Father are high school sweethearts. They met in a small town in Florida. Dad was the first to get a undergraduate degree in his family. He came from a long line of iron workers. Mom’s dad was a industrial engineer, a graduate from Georgia Tech.

Both families loved the Lord. Both were brilliant in their own ways.

My mother was Episcopalian. My Father was a very conservative baptist.

After college, they had my older sister Kaitlyn and then moved to Georgia. They met in the middle of their faith traditions and joined a small non-denominational church.

Soon afterwards, they had my twin sister and I.

It was extremely Pentecostal.

This church was our family. We did everything together! Every holiday, Superbowl, Wednesday evening- We were together.

On a good Sunday, we’d have around 70.

When I say it was vibrant, it probably isn’t the church I’d join today.

As kids, during the worship service, we’d run the isles with flags. I remember the whole church dancing in the middle of the isle during one song.

Before every service Sunday morning, our pastor would hold a service for the homeless and then feed them breakfast. One of my favorite memories was getting up early with mom or dad to get to church so we could serve them.

We learned about the power of community, the power of prayer, and the function of a family.

The first 10 years of my life were amazing. There wasn’t a trial I remember that was dramatic.

Daniel 2:21 ESV

21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

I look back and see how the Lord was preparing our family for the future during these years.

We grew in knowledge of the word, we had a proper understanding of the role of the church, and we knew with God, all things are possible.

God’s plan is the best plan.

This all changed when I was 12.

The Second Decade

My mom and dad sat us down before our week started to tell us that mom was having surgery. We didn’t really know the extent other than they made sure we were confident in the process and nothing was too extreme.

The day of the surgery… finding out mom had cancer.

Testifying about my mom.

Surgeon table declaration

Mcdonalds at Chemo

Basketball games

This was a hard season. Seeing her that way was brutal.

When I look back, I can identify the truth that the Lord instilled in me during that season...

Ephesians 6:10 ESV

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

It was less about how we felt, and more about what we knew.

We can choose God’s strength, or our weaknesses.

After a season of intentional prayer, a true battle, my mother has been cancer free ever since.

Now I know this isn’t the end of the story for anyone.

What is congruent is that God worked in the midst of it. Whether it was greatest transformation of life or smallest revealed truth, He is faithful to lead, guide and direct.

A couple years passed and what followed wasn’t easy either..

Church Split/Division/Preferences

We can choose God’s strength, or our weaknesses.

I begin to doubt church.

It wasn’t that I lost interest or hope, it was that I began to have an annoyance with it.

Philippians 2:2–4 ESV

2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

God delights in “unity,” not “what’s in it for me.”

I became so frustrated that I bailed. I didn’t leave the faith, but I certainly left the church… I gave up.

This is the best part of the story… You ready?

And then we became baptist.

Every single Tuesday lunch period, the student pastor from Sherwood Baptist Church would visit our school to invite students to their Wednesday night service.

I’d lie to his face every Tuesday.

One day, I took him up and visited. This led to our family joining the church.

This was the beginning of the Lord redirecting my heart towards Him and His church!

10th grade- Africa

Boy at Orphanage.

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

God had a plan to save to you, do you have a plan to defend that truth?

Got home

Sick

Dad’s Heart-attack.

Asa’s religious reforms.

We press on.

Just when we fill we’ve been taught, we are usually tested.

2 Chronicles 15:7 ESV

7 But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

My sophomore, junior, and first semester of my senior year were amazing.

I traveled the world on mission.

I was leading regularly at different capacities at church.

I was being discipled regularly by my student pastor.

Life was good...

November 28, 2014

Uncovering Hannah’s abuse

December 2014

decline basketball offer

January of 2015

Dad loses contracts

January 2015-May 2015

Hardest months of my life.

June 2015, work full time to help pay bills.

Samford isn’t possible, future isn’t secured, life is upside down.

But God.

Hebrews 12:3–17 ESV

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

Samford became a reality

Dad found a job

Joined staff at Dawson 2016

The rest is history.

1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

I am not perfect. You’re not perfect.

God is.

Can God sin? Can God sin against you? He wants what’s best for you.