Second Stage Ministries

Last week I mentioned some traditions that people might have in their life and I feel that one of the traditions I mentioned is the same for most people. I feel that around this time of year people are always offering up what they are thankful for. They may offer this information in general conversation, a Facebook post, a thank you card or personal thank you in person, around the table at thanksgiving dinner and in other possible ways. But then after they stuff themselves with turkey and express what they are thankful for - from stuff to people in their life - this crazy thing happens to some people that very night. This crazy thing is called Black Friday. The very same people who were just thankful for what they had descend on their local stores fighting for the latest deal. We can all fall into this category of wanting more more more and right after we declare how thankful we are for what we have. This very idea of greed can be seen at the beginning of the 2000 “How The Gr

Do you have holiday traditions? The things that you and your family do every year for Christmas or Thanksgiving. Maybe it’s the day after Thanksgiving and everyone in your family gets together and puts up the Christmas tree and other decorations. Maybe it’s going around the table at Thanksgiving dinner and express what you are thankful for. Maybe it’s opening up a special Christmas Eve present. Maybe it’s going to church for a Christmas Eve service with the family. But there is something that looms in the shadows of those traditions and that is envy. We can now see what other people do for their traditions at our fingertips. We can compare our tree with their tree. We can see when they do something and how they do it and we feel like we didn’t do it right. The Grinch was envious. He was envious of the Whos and their celebration of Christmas. He didn’t like the noise or food or them. The Grinch, I think, most of didn’t like the Whos JOY. He overall was mad that they were happy

One of my favorite holiday characters is the Grinch. Don’t ask me why, I don’t quite know the reason. But, I have always enjoyed watching the older animated version of the Dr. Seuss tale that comes on TV every year. Then in 2000, they made I live-action version of the story that brought a different life to the story. The 2000 version also shined some light on The Who’s in Whoville. But whether it’s the Grinch or The Whos there is some things that can be learned from this little story. One of the first things we pick up on about the Grinch is that he hates Christmas and “no one quite knows the reason.” The Grinch then decides to steal Christmas and he hatches this plan out of his own pride and self-centeredness. He didn’t really care about The Whos or his dog or anything from that matter. He just didn’t want Christmas to come and it was going to be his way or the highway.[1] In the 2000 movie, they really show the Grinch’s pride as he refuses many times to go do to town for t

Did you ever have someone break a promise to you? I know I have and I’m sure that your answer is the same. I know that I have also broken promises that I have made to people and I am sure that you would say the same again. As in past weeks, I have shared with you some thoughts on some topics that have been brought forward to me after listening to some new Elevation Worship songs. This the part of the song that stood out at me: “Light of the world Tremble the darkness Nothing can stop it You are the God of the promise Every word Will be accomplished You are the God of the promise” [1] Those words got me thinking about some of the promises of God. The one I think about the most is the one He gave to Noah. “I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,  I will remember my covenant  between me and you and all living creatures o

“When I felt like the burden was more than I could hold When the whispers of worry overwhelmed my soul You never left me alone You were there all along I was down to the wire hoping You would come through And You stepped in the fire like You always do How I'm convinced of Your love You are more than enough”[1] As I heard this song for the first time last month, I was reminded again of Job. A few weeks ago we looked at part of Job’s story in a post called “The Middle” (part 2 of this series). Job experienced a sudden storm in his life and it came out of nowhere. Have you ever experienced one of life’s storms that come out of nowhere? I know I have. It’s one of those situations that totally blindside us and we are left in shock. Job loss Death of a family member Death of a friend Cancer Divorce Storms - they can just come up and leave us asking “well, what now?” or “hey God don’t you care?” This is illustrated in a story in the New Testa

We often talk about our weaknesses when it comes to something that we need to do or that God calls us to do. I am reminded of a part in Moses’ story where this is evident in his life. Moses had just fled Egypt after he murdered an Egyptian who was abusing a Hebrew slave. He had a good reason though because Pharaoh was trying to kill him for killing the Egyptian. So he found himself in Midian where he became a shepherd for his father-in-law. This is where God came looking for him. (Exodus 2:11-3:1). God spoke to him from a burning bush - that had to be a sight to see - and told him that he needed to go back to Egypt and save the Hebrew people. But Moses came up with every excuse he could come up with not to go. God even gave him sign after sign that he was going to be ok (Exodus 4). Moses finally goes and leads the people to freedom. I tell you part of that story because maybe you can relate to Moses there. But Moses forgot where his strength came from. I thought about t

Everyone thinks that an echo is pretty cool. I can remember the joy of being able to hear a sound echo back for the first time. Then I can remember trying to find different places that would produce an echo. So naturally I found myself in some trouble from time to time because I would randomly shout out at different times and place if I thought an echo might be possible. Everyone know this kind of echo. The echo you can hear in a big empty room. The echo you can hear in a valley. These echoes are awesome and fun. But what about the echo in your head. This echo can be very dangerous. Most of us know the definition of the word echo, but what about this definition: “a close parallel or repetition of an idea, feeling, style, or event.”[1] After looking at that definition we can see where the wrong kind of echo in our head can be very bad. I was recently sent a message from a friend of mine who did not even know what I was planning for this post. Talk about a God moment! But her

Are you anxious? Stressed? Worried? Uneasy? Nervous? Overwhelmed? What a silly group of questions. I know I can be. I know you can be. Did you know that Jesus was a little stressed? He had the weight of the entire world on His shoulders. Talk about a stressing moment. We read about that moment in Jesus' life in the Gospels of Mark and Luke: “And being in anguish , he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’”- Luke 22:44 + Mark 14:34a NIV Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him (John 18:4). He knew of the pain to come and it was weighing heavy on Him. He was greatly overwhelmed. He was human after all. While Jesus was under this great pressure, He had His eyes up and He went and prayed to God: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” - Luke 22:42 NIV Now God didn't take away the pain that Jesus w

The middle as defined by Merriam-Webster is “the position of being among or in the midst of something”. Tell me have you ever been in the middle. In the middle of your siblings. In the middle of a fight. In the middle of a crowd. In the middle of traffic. In the middle of a storm. In middle school. In the middle of a test. In the middle of the school year. In the middle of the work day. In the middle of raising your kids. In the middle of a job change. In the middle of a divorce. In the middle of a healing process. In the middle of life. In the middle of a season. Just in the middle. Being in the middle sucks. Being the middle child. Being caught in the middle of something that you shouldn’t have been in. Being in the middle of an argument. We all I think have been in the middle. We know what the beginning was. We know where we have been. We know what was. But now we are in the middle. In the middle of what was and what is to come. In