19 November 2007

I love this time of year. The air is getting colder, the leaves have changed into a beautiful collage of colors, Thanksgiving is here and Christmas is just around the corner. Wonderful memories flood into my mind this time every year - getting together with friends and family, cuddling up in a warm blanket with my wife, drinking enough hot chocolate to float a good sized sailboat - I get warm fuzzy feelings just thinking about them! One incredible memory that was made just one year ago was the birth of my son, Trey.

The night Elisabeth went into labor was one I will never forget! We knew it could happen at any time and we had been trying for weeks to prepare for everything. In my mind I had pictured myself being cool, calm and in control of the whole situation for months before. But, at 3:00 in the morning when my wife woke me up, all the calmness I thought I would have went right out the window! I heard the words, "It's time!", and in an instant my brain went from a dead sleep to warp-speed! We grabbed a bag, stuffed some clothes in it, ran to the car and raced for the hospital. My adrenaline glands were pumping out more than my brain could handle. On the outside I was trying to stay calm for my wife's sake, but on the inside, I was spinning! I suddenly realized that I was going to have to drive, against my conscience and better judgment, in complete disregard to state highway traffic laws. I flipped out! What if a policeman tried to pull me over? Was I supposed to stop? Did I just ignore him and hope he gave up? Was I supposed to try to explain through hand signals that my wife was in labor and ask for a police escort? What if I came to a red light? Should I stop or wave at the camera as it took a picture of my tag number? Was I gonna blow a tire? Would our tiny engine drop a cylinder? I had no clue! I was more nervous than I can ever remember being in my life! But I had to get her there fast or else I was gonna get a crash course on how to deliver a baby! I drove our little four door economy car like it was a brand new Ferrari. All four cylinders were screaming as we went through a 45 MPH zone doing close to 100! I had a thousand thoughts running through my head. It was so nerve-racking to be the only vehicle on the road. What if something happened? Then out of nowhere four tractor trailer trucks appeared. Apparently they were in a hurry too because I was having a hard time staying up with them. So, seeing my opportunity, I stuck our little tin can of a car right in the middle of them. They didn't seem to mind, they just kept coasting along. All at once I felt calm. I wasn't alone on the road anymore. To me they seemed to create a zone of protection that gave me the opportunity to confidently drive at high speeds to get my wife to the hospital quickly. We flew within just a few miles of the hospital before we parted ways. We made it without incident and Trey was born at 7:19 A.M.

Having those four big trucks seemingly escort us to the hospital was, in a weird way, a big comfort to me. I would have felt so unsure of myself and my driving on that empty stretch of highway at 3:00 in the morning if it had not been for them. They became my wingmen!

There was an economy car of a young man in the Bible who had a spiritual tractor trailer guiding him in his ministry. The Bible gives us a glimpse into the life of Timothy, a relatively young pastor with very little personal experience. His spiritual guide, Paul, created a spiritual buffer zone for Timothy with godly counsel, wise advice, and Biblical principles to guide him down the right path. He wrote Timothy and told him not to let his young age stop him from being a leader. Look at this:

I Timothy 4:12 - Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

This is just one example of the type of council Paul gave to Timothy. Paul knew that Timothy's young age would be a distraction to him and he directed him to stay on the right path in spite of it.

You have a destination that you have to get to no matter what - the purpose God designed you for. A specific goal He has set for you. Sometimes you may feel confident that you are in control of your surroundings. You might think that you can handle anything that comes along. But dilemmas will hit. Distractions will come. Questions will cloud your judgment. Thoughts of being alone on your journey will discourage you. Life's surprises will throw you into a tailspin. But because God knew that you would face these things, He has placed godly men and women around you that are there to encourage you and support you along the way. They are older, more mature, more experienced. They have endured many of the same spiritual struggles that you face and they have been placed in your life as a buffer to prevent you from getting off track in life. Don't ignore their council - heed it! Don't let pride fool you into believing you can accomplish great things for God without guidance from spiritual leaders. What if Timothy had ignored the council of Paul. What would have happened to the men and women that were looking up to Timothy for help? They would have been let down, big time! Just like Timothy, there are other young people who are following you whether you know it or not. Don't let them down. Along with your personal walk with God, allow those godly men and women in your life lead you to become a leader.

Write us and tell us about some of the godly men and women who have guided you and how it has helped you. Share this Challenge with your friends. Encourage them to follow the spiritual, godly leaders God has placed in their path. Lead them by example!

Back to Challenges