The Road Warrior: What Encourages You?
To be honest, lots of things encourage me. Let me list a few for you and then share a personal story that happened yesterday (because it is the people I meet that encourage me the most).
1. My wife - without a doubt, she wields the power to make me the happiest man on earth. A word from her can set me straight for days. She has the ability to communicate with a simple smile what it would take days for me to feel otherwise. When she tells me I am a good man and she is proud of me, I feel like I can conquer the world.
2. My daddy - the greatest man I have ever known, Joe King is my greatest influence and greatest hero. When I am driving home late from preaching somewhere, I call him and we talk for hours (he does not sleep much…he is a diabetic and on dialysis). My earliest memories in life revolve around him, and my innocent desire to make him proud. He is proud of me, and I am blessed with a wonderful dad who encourages me, as well as a mama who has always been my biggest fan and most avid defender.
3. Calls, emails, and handshakes - The personal connections I make as a I travel are a constant reminder of how God works. A simple email or blog comment telling me that God used me to make a difference goes a long way.
4. Best friends - I am surrounded by an army of mighty warriors, young lions, and men of God. Matt Orth, Perry Noble, Brian Burgess, Steven Furtick, Jeremy Berger, Jonathan Martin, Seth Stevens, Nathan Smith, Johnnie Moore, Justin Brock, Jeff Becker, Brad Borders, Rob Singleton, David Nasser, Ken Pruitt, Wil Graham, and about 15 others have always got my back.
5. “Yesterdays” - Charie and I spent 5 hours yesterday face to face with an amazing woman who shared an unbelievable story about how Christ chased her down with His unfathomable love. Her life has been filled with hurt, heartache, diffculty, and disappointment. And when she least expected it, she wound up listening to me preach at Liberty University. Her heart was touched and she responded to the gospel, giving her life to Jesus in her 40’s (which very seldom happens). We laughed and cried and prayed, and got to hear first-hand how the grace of God captivates and arrests people. We made a lifelong friend yesterday, and that is perhaps the most encouraging thing of all.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:25 am
We are all blessed by people in our lives that make us laugh, smile, keep us straight and make us cry. A true friend is someone who knows your song and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words. A lifelong friend is one that shares love unconditionally. But there is nothing to compare to the relationship that is obviously God sent–be it a spouse, family member, people that have crossed your path at some point in your life, or people that help to make dreams realities. God blesses us with each of these to keep us balanced and our eyes on Him. And to be able to call you friend is an honor. As the saying goes, some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away. The above blog and comment have taken my breath away. To realize the real things that matter in life and to appreciate those things speaks volumes on both authors. I pray that you will continue to have those moments that encourage you, people that pray for you and support you, but most of all those that love you unconditionally as you have blessed me today beyond belief. Thank you for taking the time to write these words and to share with the rest of us.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
You probably don’t know me at all. But your blog was posted on my Youth Pastor’s blog and our youth group was also in TN for our winter your trip while you were doing your retreat. After reading several of your blogs I will say that I think that you are doing a very good job and that more people like you are needed. God bless all the work that you do and the time and effort you spend doing it. Since my parents are missionaries I understand travelling the States and the world to speak at different places and I appreciate your willingness to do so since I personally know how tiring it can be at times.