Taking the next Step

The last month has been a time of uncertainty and waiting for Macie and I. This season I established myself as club captain of my home town professional football team but when our manager was sacked on the 15th of January this year I haven't played a single minute of the past 7 games. Unfortunately I got injured just before the arrival of our new manager and was not able to play for two weeks but after getting back fit again I was told there was no future for me at the club. This came as a surprise because the new manager had never seen me play before and he had already made his decision about me. Whatever the reason for the club not wanting me, I was now in a position where I would have to find a new club or a new job within the next couple of months.

What do you do when things out of your control completely change or determine your future? I can honestly say that throughout this time I have had total peace knowing that "God works out all things for the good of those who love him" (Romans 8:28) and if his eye is on the sparrow then his heart is on me (Matthew 10:29-31). I have spoken and prayed over these scriptures so many times over the past month that in the middle of uncertain times I have had so much joy.

If the Bible is true, then because I love God he is working out all things for my good, and if he is watching over a sparrow than how much more is he interested in my well being. Some people reading this may have never heard of these scriptures in the Bible and some may be very familiar with them. To those who are familiar with these scriptures I say that this is a promise for those who are in love with God through Jesus Christ. Not for those who kind of believe but don't really follow or love him and his commands. Remember it is not always what we see as being the best outcome that is really the best thing for us. For those who are not familiar with the Bible I can say from my experience that God really does work out all things for my good and he is true to his word.

Today I am leaving Stockport to go play for Hereford United FC until the end of the season. A team that beat Stockport County on Tuesday night and are 10 places higher than them in the league table. This has all happened through people I had never met before until recently and the connections they made on my behalf  had never even crossed my mind. It is easy to say I just got lucky but I am convinced that there is an unseen world around us that has been causing things to happen in my favor. There is a God that has been working all things out for my good.

If you believe in the God I am talking about please pray for me and my family moving forward because we will be separated throughout the week. Pray that I play better than I ever have before and that I am a blessing to Hereford. If you don't really know the God I'm talking about you really need to seek him out. He is so amazing and faithful to those who love him. Ever since I gave my life to Jesus my life has been an incredible journey and he wants to take you on one too.

Journey with the one I love

Everyone has a story of their own. A history of relationships both good and bad with different experiences and events that shape who they are. Unfortunately in life we only really get to hear a handful of these stories, even from the people closest to us. How many people really know your story and how you feel? I tell my little girl Miriam every night before bed that God made her to change the world. One day I hope she will ask me, "how"? My answer will simply be, "one person at a time".

Since I became a Christian almost eight years ago it has been my to desire love as many people as possible in truth and grace that can only come from knowing Jesus. I have dreamed of speaking in front of thousands of people whilst Macie sings inspiring music to touch peoples lives and they instantly become the people God really made them to be. But our God is too loving for a simple quick fix solution. He wants to really know us, inside out. He wants to be the one who really knows your story better than anyone. Eight years ago I would have asked how can God know me and really care about me that much? Then I met Jesus. In a way that a child can understand he hung on a cross 2,000 years ago for me, stretched out his arms and said, "Jo, I love you this much. And i'm dying for you to know that. I want to walk with you everyday and know your story and help you write the rest of your life."

After saying yes to him and asking him to guide my life I can say with out a shadow of doubt how real he is and I found out he loves me a whole lot more than I first thought. Moving into a new year helps us to look back on what we have done, who we are and what we want to achieve in the future. I challenge you to really ponder those questions and ask God what he thinks about it all.

Everyone has a story, we only know a few peoples, but God knows every single one of them. Some seem to have had a nice easy life, some have suffered horrific things, some have lots of money, some have very little. But each person has a story that is unique and special that is worth writing a book about even if you're not famous. It is only those that hand the authorship over to their creator Jesus Christ that will have a story worth taking into eternity.

This new year find out some new stories from people. This can be hard sometimes and normally involves tears. And understand that your story is written everyday by the little choices you make. Write a story that God can look at and say, "That was worth dying for".

What Are You Being Taught?

Last Saturday I was playing in a game when I went up for a header, hit an opponent and got my legs taken out from under me. I fell straight onto my right shoulder and tore a ligament that was very painful. I was told I'd be out for 4-6 weeks and sent home to go and rest. I have been unable to help around the house this past week which has caused so much extra work for Macie.
I believe in a miracle working God and I thought this would be a great way for everyone on the team, people who work at the club and all the fans to see how great our God is. I am writing this 8 days after the event and even though I should be ready to play soon I did not see the instant healing miracle I and many others were praying for. This blog is not about questioning if God still works miracles and if he does why does he only perform them at certain times or why when you pray does God sometimes seem silent. I believe in a miracle working God and have seen some miraculous things but I cannot give you an answer to why it doesn't always happen. This blog is about what I learnt this past week.
I am embarrassed to say that it wasn't until the following Saturday, a week later after listening to a sermon I asked God, "are you teaching me anything through this injury?" When I finally asked I felt like he was so quick to tell me.
Does this mean that God gave me an injury to teach me something? I don't believe he gave me the injury and I don't want to get into a deep theological blog about how a good God can let suffering happen. All I know is that I've seen God do miracles and prevent horrific things from happening and I've prayed for others and watched no change happen. God is way too big for me to understand his ways completely. The question is how do I react to this? How do you react in times like this? I think we should always be asking, "what can I learn in this situation?".
So here is what I feel God taught me and I'd like to share it with you. Your strongest, most important gifting can become your biggest hindrance  My right arm is probably the part of my body I use the most in physical activity and this past week it has hindered almost all my physical activity. Be careful not to let your greatest gift become the thing that stops you from fulfilling the life God has planned for you.
He also taught me that I am only as strong as my partner (Macie) and the people around me. If any of you have been sick recently you quickly realize that without loved ones or someone helping out, you are completely useless. It is so important to understand how important your partners such as spouses, friends, family, work mates, etc are in your life.
I hope you enjoyed this blog and maybe learnt something from my experience this past week. What I really want is that you ask more often, "What can I learn from this?" Instead of trying to figure out the mind of God and why sometimes he seems to ignore our cries for help, healing, less stress, more money, better relationships etc.

Article on Jo for those who wanted to see it

How Quickly We Forget

Macie and I were recently lying in bed and I said, "the room feels empty". She responded by saying it was the first time we've had a room to ourselves in over 10 months. Eliana is now sharing a room with Miriam and so Macie and I go to bed alone for the first time since we left Charlotte, NC. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed that time at the end of the day getting ready for bed and chatting for a short time before falling asleep with my bride. We so quickly take for granted all the wonderful things in life because they become routine. Learning to treasure every little blessing brings so much happiness to any life and I wonder how many we over look everyday.

We are back in season with Stockport County now. We won our first two games and lost our third yesterday. Like overlooking blessings, I am so quick to focus on what is not happening in my life as opposed to what is. I am not playing great at the moment, we didn't win yesterday, my baby isn't sleeping well, my spouse isn't doing things the way I think they should be done, my outreach isn't very effective, the church isn't growing and lots of other things. But when I focus on all the things happening that are good my mood changes. After chatting to Macie today I was reminded that even if I can't see with my own eyes the things I want to happen, that doesn't mean that God isn't working on making it happen at this very moment. I firmly believe that there is an unseen world all around us where incredible things take place every moment to give us blessings we overlook way too much. Most of the real impact we have on people we will never know about and so much of what God does we have blind eyes to. A prayer I don't prayer enough is asking God to open my eyes to all he is doing. When I do this I don't focus on a God who lets people starve, or a God who forgets about people who are in horrific pain and suffering. Instead my eyes are opened to all the incredible things I get everyday that I do not deserve.

Here is a picture of an article published today in a national football newspaper. The headline sounds really sketchy (and I did not quote it) but the story was actually really good. I don't think you can read it on line but when I get a copy i'll try and scan it on the blog for you all to see.

So We're Kind of a Big Deal...

As Jo and I were driving the other night to the Mayor's Ball, he in his tuxedo and I in my ballgown, we just began to laugh as we thought back to nearly 7 months ago when we stepped off the airplane into an unknown life with no plans, no job, just a knowledge that God has said to us "go". We have always prayed that God would put us into situations that if He didn't show up and do something big, we would be made to look like fools. This has been one of those times in our lives and God has once again proven Himself faithful.
  Jo has been made captain of Stockport County Football club and signed on for another year. We have a wonderful church where I can play the piano and sing for worship and Jo and I can work with the youth. We have good friends and wonderful family.
   Yet through all of this, there are times when my heart still cries out for home. I miss driving on the right (and correct) side of the road, hearing a good old southern drawl, and going through the drive-through at Chik-fil-A.  I miss my daughter having an American accent, knowing my way around places and my big Toyota 4Runner. But above all, I miss my family. They came to visit last month and it was the highlight of my time here in England. I feel like I can now truly say I know what it means when Jesus says we must be willing to give up our family to follow Him. I am more than willing to do this, but that doesn't take away the pain of separation. Christ is worth any sacrifice and he has proven that to us time and again throughout our marriage.  Yet the pain of the sacrifice serves to remind us that this earth is not our permanent home.  We are created for something so much better than this and one day I will spend eternity with my family.  Jesus has sent us to England to bring others into that eternity with us.  I am willing to give up anything for that, even if it means I never eat at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant again.
 

Time in England flies by

It's almost been 5 months since our family stepped off the plane to a cold, wet, uncertain England from the wonderful home we knew in America. The only plans we had were to move in with my parents until we were able to take care of ourselves.

I'm now sitting here in our new home getting ready to have breakfast with my wonderful family and thinking it only feels like yesterday since we got here. I just said to Macie this morning I feel like this is the fastest my life has ever gone. Rediscovering a culture I had forgotten and a brand new one for Macie and Miriam to learn, playing football, living with family then moving to a new home, new church and ministry and in the middle of all this a wonderful new baby girl joined us. People say that life goes faster when you have more kids and it definitely feels that way but I never want to be a person that says, "Where did the time go? I should have done more."

I was praying in the car the other day and asking God to use me to do 'big things' by helping people and impacting the culture I live in to know who Christ really is. I was just getting done praying and about to go inside the house to watch the Man City game with my Dad and I felt like God told me to do these 'big things' now. How do I do this while watching football I thought? God reminded me he made us to make every moment a special one. How do we do this?

The other night Miriam shouted me whilst she was in bed that she needed to go potty. I went into her room and helped her get down from her new bunk bed and as her feet touched the floor she took off running as fast as she could to the toilet screaming, "I'm gonna win!!!". Kids have an amazing way of making normal mundane situations into special moments. Miriam has no idea that she made me smile and my heart leap in my chest but I'm sure those of you that have kids can recall a similar memory. I believe our heavenly Father smiles the same way at us when we simply embrace life in every moment with the heart of a child.

How do I make sure I don't look back over a life that flies by and wish I would have done more? Simple, I race my heavenly father to the toilet every time I need to go! We simply need to embrace today, this moment, this mundane task or job that is here now, in the present. Don't be waiting and hoping for that big moment to come along but instead make this moment into it.

Here we are outside our new house.