Maybe I should rename this blog, "Dawg With A Blog". Disney can't sue me since the spelling is different. No, "Sticks and Stones" is my life.
This morning I went to the FCA South Metro meeting at Strong Rock Christian School. I did not want to go, I will be honest. You wonder if you can actually say that you have an FCA group when there are 2 students who show up. With the FCA powerhouses like Jonesboro (I couldn't say that sentence 10 years ago, btw, when I was there) and Eagles Landing (I said this every day about 10 years ago LoL) do they really want to deal with Locust Grove? I could sense disappointment from my superiors. So, I didn't want to go. My beautiful girlfriend told me last night, however, that going wouldn't be for me. It would be for God. Also, I really enjoy seeing what God is doing around me because we are commanded to look beyond our own circumstances (for our own good). So, I went...
...and I had the spiritual equivalent of having my face melted by an amazing rock concert. Seriously, there were only about 25 people there munching on CFA biscuits and some Dunkin. We had two guys with guitars and one guy with a percussion box; we sang 2 songs. It was quiet, but powerful. South Metro Atlanta FCA Director Mike Roby gave a "view of South Metro FCA from 30,000 feet", and the Spirit just confirmed something He had been speaking into me for weeks. The Bible uses the metaphor of planting (sower) and harvesting (reaping) a lot. The Bible is also very clear that many times the sower isn't around to reap the harvest. Locust Grove FCA is 2 years old. Literally. Terrible Two's were evident in my personal tantrums last semester. I have since repented, and grown. Mike encouraged us about future generations who he is currently ministering to in the Locust Grove area who will come up to high school in a few years. We already have a solid ministry on our Football team at Locust Grove thanks to some unyielding coaches. God has opened the doors at Locust Grove, and I am so very happy to be a part of that. I don't even know if I will be at LGHS next year. I don't know where I'll be, period. I just want to finish this year strong. Mike Roby was so encouraging, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. I may not see the harvest, but I know it is coming.
Next, the president of Jonesboro's FCA got up to speak about outreach. Jonesboro averages over 100 attendees to their meeting every week. When I was at Jonesboro over a decade ago, we were plagued by infighting. I had 3 FCA leadership camps under my belt in high school, and we still didn't have an FCA in anything more than the name. I dealt with frustration back then, but I am seeing a harvest now. That's the scope of my God. He gets all the praise for that one. That made me so happy. Go Cardinals! Hail to thee, my alma mater.
And it didn't end there. Union Grove Middle School FCA sponsor Brad Holloway was the keynote speaker. They made a joke about him taking a long time to speak, but let me tell you, we were all ready to spend all day listening to him. My face literally melted, I was wiping away tears. There was so much to take in, so many verses thrown out, I grasped all around for some nugget. What I took away from it was "obey what you already know, and go from there." He also spoke about Philemon verse 6 that says, "and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ." Basically the overarching theme was "obedience". Stop waiting for God to move, He already moved at Pentecost. We already have the Spirit. We don't have to wait. We have Him, and He has the power. This week I made some solid personal decisions in my life, and I have basically come to the point where I crave opportunities to obey. I'm tired of waiting to be ready. I'll never be completely ready. Growth comes from action, from learning from mistakes, etc. I was rebuked by a man I respect this week, and I am thankful for it. I'm looking forward to seeing how I grow from that encounter. This has just been a pretty powerful week.
Another word about Brad. He reminds me of Jon Deans, a mentor of mine from Watkinsville First Baptist. Both of them have made the point that it should be abhorrent for a Christian to be content with the world seeing them as a "good person". God forbid Jesus died so that we could just be "good people". Jon said he doesn't want anyone walking into Hell saying "Jon Deans was a good man." I do not want anyone to walk into Hell saying "Stuart Kingsley was a good man." I am a wretch, people. I just serve an amazing God. I would rather you hate me on earth, and see you in Heaven, than you be my best friend here and end up in Hell.
So, I have a lot on my plate. Everyone knows you eat the stuff you don't like first in order to savor the things you do like, but I want everything on my plate to be salted by the Spirit. I want my cup to overflow into the lives of the people around me while I drown in His love and power. Whether I'm serving in a classroom, or sweating at CrossFit, or loving the beautiful woman God put in my life, I want to advance the Kingdom.
And, a shout out to CrossFit Essentials. You guys are awesome. Thank you for being so encouraging! I hope to get better, but you never make me feel inferior. I love that community.
Thanks for reading!
For the Kingdom
-- Stuart L. Kingsley
