Happy Thanksgiving 2021

“Hallelujah! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his faithful love endures forever.”‬‬

Psalm 106:1 CSB

Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving this year!

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Happy Thanksgiving 2018

This day has been set aside as a day to stop and give thanks for the many blessings that we have experienced in this life. I hope that you will take the opportunity to slow down and look around. As the old hymn says, “Count your many blessings and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

Here is a thought to take with you this thanksgiving…

What if God took away everything tomorrow that we did not give Him thanks for today?

May God richly bless you and your family during the remainder of 2018.

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Whom Do We Thank?

In 1621, the colonists of Plymouth and the Wampanoag Indians shared a harvest meal with each other. This has become known as the first Thanksgiving celebration in the New World.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln established a national holiday. This was to be a day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficient Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

I do not know of many who are not a fan of Thanksgiving. It seems to be a time where just about anyone can get involved. A time where we gather around a loaded table with family and friends, watch parades and football, and give thanks for the blessings in our lives.

While so many seem to get involved in this time, I think that it is important that we remember the specifics of this “holiday.” It was set aside as a holiday not to just load up on refreshments and early Christmas shopping. It was intended to stop and remember where our blessings truly come from.

In this age, where there are a rising number of “Nones” (those claiming no religious affiliation), there is a temptation to make our Thanksgiving as generic as possible. We wouldn’t want to offend anyone, right?

I would like to encourage any follower of Jesus to not fall into the trap of generic thanksgiving this year – or any other time. Remember as President Lincoln boldly reminded the nation, it is the Lord of the Bible that provides each and every blessing we enjoy. It is to Him that we should offer our gratitude and be intentional with it.

When you express your thanks this Thanksgiving, will those around you know who it is that you are thanking?

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Give Thanks Day 27

Today, I would like to express my gratitude for seminary training in ministry.  I am heading towards the final stretch of this 7-year journey that I call seminary.  I have enjoyed most of my time at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

As I look back over the past 7 years, I am so glad that I have taken this journey.  I can remember that spring day in 2001, when I was eating lunch in my college's student union building.  I was minding my own business when a man stopped and asked if he could join me for lunch.  As I looked up, it was Dr. Chuck Kelley - president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary - who was at our college speaking at a campus revival.  I asked him a very serious question over lunch: "Do I really have to go to seminary?"  He smiled and answered, "NO. If God isn't leading you, then you shouldn't."  I'll never forget that day.  There was urging from our college's Bible professors for all of us "preacher boys" to go on to seminary.  I was tired of school.

After a six year layout, I felt God prodding my heart to go to seminary.  God tends to know just the right time for everything.  I began my journey at NOBTS in January of 2007.  The skills, knowledge, and friends that I have gained from this experience I wouldn't trade for anything.  They have made me the pastor and person I am today.

So, to you NOBTS, I say thank you (and hopefully this coming May - see ya!).

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Give Thanks Day 26

 

On this dreary Tuesday, I am very thankful for the gift of music.  I would love to be able to say that I am talented at some instrument or can work a mic with the best of them, but that would be a lie.  I do play a mean radio or CD or iTunes playlist though!

Music is one of the things that God has allowed to be created that touches the heart like few things can.  I can remember joking with some college buddies about the fact that there is a song for virtually anything under the sun.  If you are in a downer mood, there's always that hope of hearing "that song" on the radio which picks you up.  If you are cruising down the road, a little "Sweet Home Alabama" hits the spot.

God truly knew His creation well when He allowed music to be invented.  It impacts and inspires people like few things on this playground we call earth.  The sad part is that because it is such an powerful tool, it has been perverted in many cases and used for evil (shame).  I truly believe that music was first invented as a means for people to worship God and express their devotion to Him.  I believe that it an also be used to tell a good story or just express how one is feeling, but to use it to destroy what God is seeking to build up is a tragedy.

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Give Thanks Day 25

Today, I am thankful for the Bible.  I know that may seem "understood" coming from a pastor, but I'm not writing this post as a pastor.  I'm writing this as a person who happens to be a pastor.  I have always had a fondness of the Bible.  I was raised in a home where my parents were believers in Jesus Christ.  They thought that the Bible was important.  While other children got stories of bears, dragons, and other characters, my sister and I were told the stories of the Old Testament along with Psalms many times before bed.

I have come to see the Bible as much more than just a good "bedtime" storybook.  It is the only book that I know of that is alive (Hebrews 4:12).  It is not just a collection of thoughts about God, but it is actually the word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  I do not have to wonder what or how God thinks about a topic.  All I have to do is open this letter that He has provided, and He lets me know.

What impact has this wonderful word had on your life?

 

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Give Thanks Day 22

Today, I am very thankful for God's provision. I can truly say that if God had not stepped in on many occasions, it would have all went down the drain. There are times when we pour out our needs before Him... we may even share those with others close to us and ask them to join in prayer over those things... or it might be times when we just don't know what to do. In those last mentioned times, it gets really good seeing God show out.

I am very excited that this coming spring will complete my MDiv degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Two classes and I'm done. The bad part is that those two classes are going to run about $1100. I was wondering where that was going to come from.

God decided to show out. He decided that sometimes it's just best to get "two birds with one stone." One of my wife's uncles was looking for a new car. We just happened to be preparing to put the one we don't use on the market since we have the minivan now.

Long story short = the car sold for $3000. That takes care of the rest of my school, pays a little extra down on our minivan, a little help for Christmas, & gets rid of the car we weren't using.

The best part is that I had not even had the chance to take my "concern" before my wife before God decides to provide as only He can.

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Give Thanks Day 21

As I sit here in my office thinking of the many things that I am thankful for, the one that rises to the top of the pile this morning is second chances.

There have been so many times in my life when I have needed a second chance... a redo... I cannot count the times when I wish that life would be like those old Nintendo Entertainment Centers.  You remember those, don't you?  They had the "power" and the "reset" button. When things didn't go as you planned, all you had to do was reach over and push that "reset" button and it's a brand new start.

Well, life doesn't have a "reset" button.  When we blow it, we blow it.  That ground is very difficult to gain back once it's gone.  But that does not stop God from taking us in and still doing His amazing work in and through us.  He brings us to Himself - warts, failures, and all - and makes us into a new creation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17 HCSB)

God doesn't just throw us away when we fall short.  He brings us to the point of knowing where we failed and then moving past it.  He never promises us that He will give us a second chance at all the things that we didn't do so well at the first time.  But the amazing thing is that He does sometimes.  He doesn't have to, but He does.

I'm grateful for people who know the Lord and have experienced this in their walk with Him.  They are the ones that are more apt to extend that grace to others.  Lord knows that I need it... from my wife... from my sons... from the church I pastor... from friends... the list could go on and on.

Though no one is entitled to a second chance, I am so grateful to our gracious God for taking the initiative in this and starting this great trend that has been going for quite a while now.

 

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Give Thanks Day 19

One thing that I've learned about ministry is that you can't go at it alone. The task that The Lord calls each of His followers to (not just the pastors and missionaries) is one that calls for community. One can try to tackle this by himself, but he will find himself disappointed, discouraged, and throwing in the towel. In light of this observation, I would like to take a moment today and say thanks to the countless people who have supported me in the work God has called me to.

I realize more and more each day how the people that God has placed in my path at certain moments were planted their specifically by Him. He knew what I needed - whether it be monetary support, an encouraging word, or a kick in the pants - and put the right people in place to accomplish His will.

To those who have helped financially, lifted me up in prayer, put an arm around me and shared an encouraging word, or yes, even took me aside and lovingly gave me the kick in the pants I needed, I say a big "thank you!" I do not have enough room on this blog to mention each by name, but I hold the memory of your contribution to the work the Lord has called me to very close. I would definitely not be here if it weren't for the faithful saints of God being used in big and small ways.

Who can you invest in and encourage today?

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Give Thanks Day 18

Today, I would like to give thanks for grace. I realize that I've already posted on this topic once this month, but every time I think I have a handle on what God's grace is and what it looks like, He blows my mind again. Grace has to be the greatest gift that God ever gave us humans.

I have written about how God is holy. Although this quality of holiness is great and really necessary, it puts a damper on things because we - sinful as we are - cannot have a deep relationship with God.

That is unless this holy God choses of His own free will to express grace and make a way for sinful humans to have a relationship with Him. That is exactly what God did for us through His Son, Jesus. He chose to open His arms to us even when we didn't deserve it.

For while we were still helpless, at the appointed moment, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person - though for a good person someone might even dare to die. But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! (Romans 5:6-8 HCSB)

I was reminded of this amazing grace during my sermon yesterday morning. I was preaching on the law of the harvest (you reap what you sow). You can't get around the law of the harvest. But God has allowed there to be another law at play: the law of grace. When we've sown "bad seed" in our lives, the law of the harvest says that destruction is on its way. The law of grace though may be applied and provide us with forgiveness from sins and strength for the consequences.

It's no wonder they call this "amazing grace!"

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Give Thanks Day 16

I would like to say thank you to the men who played the role of pastor in my life. While many people often think to the person behind the pulpit when they hear the term "pastor," I've learned that it is much more than a title. It is a calling of God and comes in many forms.

The pastors in my life have come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. These men have been used by God to teach and mold me to be the man (and Christian) I am today. Some of these men have held the title "pastor" in a local church (senior pastor, youth pastor, etc). Some of these men have just been godly laity that He has used in mighty ways.

One interesting thing that I have learned is that the term "pastor" comes from the Greek word poimen, and refers more to the function they do instead of a title. That function is likened to a shepherd caring for sheep (feeding, grooming, training, disciplining). That function is not always carried out in a church service.

I am eternally grateful to my Heavenly Father for placing pastors in my path at just the right time. It would take the rest of the day to list the "pastors" in my life (plus I'd forget someone), but I feel that most of them know who they are. May The Lord continue to use you and bless you as you are used by Him to shape His sheep.

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Give Thanks Day 15

Today, I am going to be a little different with my thankfulness. I try not to get caught up in petty things, but I have a weakness when it comes to this time of the year. What is this weakness?

You guessed it: White chocolate Oreos.

I am very thankful for these cookies. They only come out at this time of the year. They don't last long in the stores. But there's something about these cookies that makes me stop and realize we are in the holiday season.

For some reason these cookies have so many good memories attached to them, and when they are stocked in the stores, those memories come flooding back... Memories if hanging with the family, watching football, eating good meals, opening presents and more.

Welcome back, white chocolate Oreos. Time to make some more memories.

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Give Thanks Day 14

Today, I would like to express my thanks for prayer. I have not always been the greatest or the most consistent with my prayer life, but I am learning more and more with each passing day that prayer is not a chore but a privilege.

The more I think about it, it baffles me that the holy God of the universe has opened His throne room to us. He is sinless and without stain. He is able to see all of our imperfections and blemishes and still welcomes us into His presence. He even went so far as to send His Son to be a sacrifice that tore the veil that separated His presence from us (Matthew 27:50-51).

The reality that God doesn't just lord over us but wants to have a loving relationship with us is most clearly seen thru prayer. It is in prayer that we share our hearts with Him and He with us. Every relationship has to have a means of clear communication to thrive. God opens that door every time we bow our heads.

May we express our thanks to God for prayer by our participation in it.

"Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3 HCSB)

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Give Thanks Day 13

As I continue to move through this month expressing my thanks for various things in my life, I have come to one that is not the easiest. There are some things that come in life that make you want to do everything but give thanks. One such event took place in our family about 8 years ago when we miscarried our first child. My wife has written a great post about that here.

There are some things that are easy to give thanks for, but others - especially in the moment - are not so easy. Finding out that you are having a baby for which you have prayed - easy. Finding out that the heartbeat of that child is no longer there - not so much.

Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. ~ James 1:2-4 HCSB

These verses from the Bible seem so strange. Be grateful for the trials that come our way? That's right. Because the sovereign God of the universe has got everything under control. There is nothing that escapes His notice. Because of His proven love for me over and over (and over again), I can say thank You for whatever comes my way - even the trials.

God has used the loss of "Peanut" to teach me to be grateful for all my children. Too many times we think we are entitled to things. We are entitled to NOTHING! Because of that dark day where the heart monitor was silent, I have learned to grab and love my boys every day, because you never know when it will be the last opportunity to do so.

So today, I am thankful for the trials that God is using to make me mature and complete - even though I don't like them.

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Give Thanks Day 11

I would like to express my thanks to those amazing people being honored by our nation today: our nation's veterans.  With today being Veteran's Day, there are many places all around our country that are holding special programs or services honoring the men and women that have stood for our country through service.  Without these men and women taking their stand, the USA would not be as great as it is.  The countless men and women (and their families) who have sacrificed and dedicated a part of their lives to protect us and our freedoms, it is to you that I salute today.

Veterans, thank you for your service to our country.  Nothing can ever repay you for that service, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try.  May God bless you and your families for your unselfish service to our country.

 

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Give Thanks Day 10

On this 10th day of November, I would like to give thanks to The Lord for my church family at Bethany Baptist Church.

I have the great privilege of serving this fellowship as pastor. I do not see this place as a workplace though. This is my church in that this is where I have plugged my entire family in. We believe in the direction this fellowship is going.

I cannot say enough about the love and encouragement that we have received from the good folk of Bethany. The cards, phone calls, and just drop-by visits have done nothing but grow our passion for this area. It is hard to find a week in the six months we've been here where some person from Bethany has not reached out in some form or fashion to let us know their appreciation.

I look forward to seeing what God is doing and is going to do in the life and ministry of Bethany Baptist Church.

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Give Thanks Day 9

After missing yesterday, I need to get back on track with my thankful list. Today, I would like to thank The Lord for allowing college football to be invented. Saturdays in the fall are something I look forward to every year. The competition of the game is like nothing else.

The game of college football provides a much needed release also for me from ministry work. The work of a pastor is on-going. If I'm not careful, I will spend every waking hour thinking, planning, visioning, preparing... If I'm going to make it for the long haul, I need a release. For some time, college football has been that release for me.

If you're going to talk about college football, you have to talk about the greatest team there is: the Crimson Tide of Alabama. As they prepare to whoop up on some bayou bengals, I'll make plans to holler "Roll Tide" as much as possible!

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Give Thanks Day 7

 

On this 7th day of November, I would like to express my thanks to the man I affectionally call "Pops."  That man is my dad, Ken Stephens.  As with most any relationship that a person has in their lives, ours has had it share of ups and downs (definitely more ups than downs).  Through it all, I have never questioned if Pops was behind me.

I remember the ways that he supported my love for baseball.  Taking me to practices and ball games constantly.  Cheering from those little league stands.  Even helping me to conquer my fear of the baseball with the monetary encouragement.  He wanted to see me succeed.  He knew that it was something that I enjoyed, so he did everything in his power to make sure I could experience it to the full.

Even in my ministry, my dad has been a big supporter of mine.  We may attend different churches and not see completely eye-to-eye on all theological issues, but one thing is for sure: he has supported and encouraged me.  For that, I am truly thankful.

So today on the day that you turn 72, I would like so say thank you to my gracious Lord for giving me a pretty good dad here on earth.  Happy birthday, Pops!

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Give Thanks Day 6

On this sixth day of November, I'd like to give thanks for the places that God has allowed me to serve in ministry.  I think back over the past 15 years about all the places that have given me the opportunity to lead in ministry positions.  It has definitely been a learning experience.  I think back to that first church position in 1998 when a little country church in Walnut, MS allowed me to serve for a year as their youth minister.  Talk about green... sure, I had two summers of internship under my belt, but nothing had prepared me for what would come my way during that time.  I am so grateful to that church for seeing the potential in that "wet behind the ears" guy.

I think about the honor that it was to go back to my home church and serve as youth pastor during a time of transition.  Those were some times of faith-building, but I would not trade them for the world.  I remember when that search committee looked at me and addressed me not as the guy who grew up here, but as a real potential to go forward.  I am so grateful for the team of adult volunteers that came alongside of me during that time and helped move forward the transition.

I think about the times in Fairhope and Birmingham where God began to turn my focus from just students to the entire church congregation as a whole.  I think about those from these precious churches who invested in helping me fund my education.

I am grateful to New Life Fellowship in Gilbertown, Alabama for giving me the honor of being the first full-time pastor of that precious church.  I am grateful to them that they worked along with me as I cut my teeth on this lead pastor thing.

And to Bethany Baptist Church... I am honored that you have placed the reigns in my hand to lead this precious congregation in the Lord's work.  The support and love that has been demonstrated to our family over these past 6 months is enough to get you all choked up.

Each of these places of service has been used by God to mold me a little bit more into what He desires me to be.  I would not be where I am or who I am without any one of these.

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Give Thanks Day 5

As the day begins for me, I would like to express my thanks for some specific blessings that God has brought my way over the past couple of years. The first came my way six years ago. The next came three years ago. The last came two years ago. Today, I would like to thank God for the boys that He has allowed me to be father to.

I can remember many moons ago asking God to give me at least one son. He chose to bless me with three! Little did I know how much God would use these three boys to reveal so much about myself. You've probably heard people talk about how children favor this parent or relative. While these boys do have some of my physical characteristics, I see a lot of my "inner characteristics" in them (and that might not be so good).

Over the past six years, God has on many occasions said to my heart as I would get on to the boys about something, "Look familiar? I think I know someone else who throws a fit when they don't get their way... Or who doesn't want to listen... Or who just wants to do it their way." Time and time again I hang my head as I realize that God is using these treasures to show me myself before Him. I'm not sure that I would have seen some things in my life as clearly as I have through my boys.

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