Nick’s Walk

When we consider our life mission statement we are inclined to two mistakes: looking too far and looking too close. It’s not just a case of being like Goldilocks and looking “just right.” We look too far because we tend to dream long distance. When we think of life mission, we have thoughts of overseas missionary service in Africa or the Far East. God may give us such a call. But we need to look at what is in front of us.  I had a grandson who was miserable in school. I had never considered myself an elementary school teacher.  I much prefer the thought of teaching pretty college girls while donned in a jacket with patches on the elbows in a college with lots of ancient oaks and a decent football team. Sometimes I forget my wife reads this. . . sometimes. Nevertheless I find myself a fourth grade school teacher with a class of one. I am being thoroughly blessed with the experience. I always enjoyed teaching and preaching to a packed house. In this environment you get instant feedback and can adjust accordingly. Instead, I find myself preparing a daily blog which disappears into the blackness […]

Yesterday I was discouraged. The specific reasons are not important.   I’m not sure I could identify the reasons for my discouragement. Today, I’m encouraged. That’s the important point. The issue? What transferred me from the state of discouragement to the right realm of the encouraged children of God? What changed me from thinking I can’t do it anymore to being sure I can? Two things made the difference: Time with my Lord and time with my friends. I spent some time with God. David Jeremiah’s teaching this morning which I listen to each Wednesday morning was about the Giant of Discouragement. Isn’t it wonderful how the Lord will provide just the word you need at the times you need them. But Satan tried to keep me from that help. I overslept this morning and was late heading to my Wednesday morning men’s meeting. So I missed the teaching. But my friends pointed it out and I listened to it later.  I also spent time with my friends. I can’t emphasize enough the important of spending quality time with fellow believers. Not just sitting in a crowd, but sitting around a table, praying and listening and talking. I found out […]

 I read a quote this morning that noted that nothing can hinder your life mission like a bad relationship. i immediately started reviewing my relationships; but then go to thinking about my life mission. What is my life mission? What’s a mission statement? Organizations have mission statements. It defines their purpose and provides a standard to guide decision making. I found a web site, Missionstatements.com that you might find helpful. It describes personal mission statements: A personal mission statement provides clarity and gives you a sense of purpose. It defines who you are and how you will live. it’s amazing how life just grabs us and pulls us along. We move from day to day doing what seems necessary, but with only vague direction and purpose. Is it any wonder that we feel confused and out of control? Why not take some time and visit the missionstatements.com site? Review some of the example mission statements. Try to draft one of you own.  I will. I’m not sure how long it will take or what I will come up with but i believe it will be a useful exercise. I would love to hear what you come up with. Then […]

The Christian life is often compared to a race, but it’s not exactly like the races with which we, as sport’s fans, are familiar. For example, in track and field the most important thing is to get a good start. But in the Christian life, the focus is on the strong finish.  Typically, the purpose of the race is to finish first. The Christian goal is to finish well. We are to finish strong, but we are also to know when it’s time to pass the baton to the next runner. For Christians, finishing first isn’t the purpose. It’s running with love. That’s how the great crowd of spectators knows who you are, because of your love. The whole purpose is for others to know who your coach is and to join His team. Yesterday, we closed a segment of Debbie and Terrell Reed’s race. Well done. Terrell loved to talk about his life before Jesus. He didn’t start well. He finished strong. He and Debbie knew when it was time to pass the baton. But most importantly they knew the purpose of the race was to run in love. When my son died suddenly a few years ago, […]

I can across an article yesterday entitled, “Five Signs you are part of an unhealthy church.” Seemed to be to be an unhealthy point of view. We all could be healthier. So I have taken the points from that article and changed them to a more positive approach. 1. A Clear Vision. Proverbs 29:18 states, “Where there is  no vision, the people perish.” In my history with churches I get a little uncomfortable when “vision” is discussed.  Besides, isn’t the mission of the church obvious? Well maybe it isn’t. Some people see church as a spiritual hospital where the walking wounded come to be made whole.  That’s certainly a necessary ministry. Others take the great commission literally and think church is there to spread the gospel. Kind of hard to argue with that. If you go to Amanacf.org in its new form (what a blatant plug. I’m ashamed of myself.) You will find the vision of Amana: Connect up with us as we build relationships with Jesus first and then one another, house to house, city to city, nation to nation.  That’s a great vision. Putting it into practice is a great challenge. If we start with relationship with Jesus […]

 There is a magnificent evergreen tree on the road to our house. It seems completely out of place in the swamp like terrain of our neighborhood.  It towers above the small house near it and stands adjacent to a sugar cane field. I don’t know the species, but it looks like it belongs in the Rocky Mountains and not just outside of Broussard. My wife says it has been there for years. She insists it was Christmas tree size many of the twenty plus years we have been passing it by, but in recent years has shot up to its current height.It’s so like we should be. We want our world to be more Christian, but the truth of it is that we are suppose to live in a world where we are dramatically different and stand apart. Folks should be saying “What is that?” When they pass us by.Our growth should be like the tree as well. We may sit planted for years, but in God’s good time, he puts all the elements in place for a dramatic spiritual growth spurt. Maybe suddenly we experience more Son shine.  Maybe our life experience suddenly catches up with us and […]

Satan desires disunity in the church. How do we fight that? We use the tools that God has given us. According to Ephesians 4, he has given each of us a spiritual gift that is given to serve one another. He has given you a gift. He doesn’t just pull gifts out of the bag and toss them around.Your gift has been picked specifically for you and for your situation.  Part of mature responsibility is to learn what our gift is. We do that through listening, prayer and acting out the urges from the Holy Spirit. We listen and we do.  But why? The gifts are the glue of the body. They are what holds us together. They provide unity.  We have unity when we have a common purpose AND a role to play in bringing that purpose about.  This means that pastors aren’t suppose to do everything. It also means that church staff is not suppose to do everything. The pastors are the shepherds, the equippers, the leaders, everyone else is a minister.  We are all to minister to one another. There is a church that is incomplete without you and you are incomplete without that church. You do not have […]

“And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). So far four of your brothers and sisters have offered to meet with me to share their story. Thanks to them all. We can look forward to hearing this stories soon. It’s never too late to add your name to the list. nsigur@gmail.com  Paul tell us we need to be ready to share our story.  He writes in Romans 10:13–15: “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (NIV) In the original Greek, the word preparation used in Ephesians 6:15 can be defined as “firm-footing; a strong foundation.” We need to have a firm foundation in God’s Word. This word preparation could also be translated as “readiness.” The idea is to be ready at all times to share the gospel Sometimes we think that means we need to […]