By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

In today’s very diverse world, do you ever have trouble figuring out where you fit in?  Do you ever wonder about your purpose, or about why you are the ‘different’ one in the crowd of folks who seem not to care?

Our former neighbors had several animals that I loved watching.  One particular day, I captured this little trio hanging out together.  A goose, a small horse, and a cat — which one of these is not like the others?!  They made for an amusing sight, but you can see that they are quite content with their differences, and neither animal seems bothered by the fact that it is much different from its friends.

The point?  Don’t be afraid to stand out.  Stand up and be different — for the Lord.  God made you different so that you can truly be different.  If we were all alike, oh what a boring world this would be!  God loves you, and He made you to be you.  As you walk with Him and for Him this week, in the world full of look-alikes and act-alikes, be the follower of Christ that God made you to be.  You’ll be blessed, your friends will be blessed, and most of all, God will be blessed.

Just a thought.

Some days unfold exactly as we planned. Others seem to have a mind of their own.

We may begin the morning with a full calendar, a carefully organized list, and a clear picture of how the day should go. Then something changes. A meeting gets moved, an unexpected conversation takes place, or perhaps someone crosses our path whom we never expected to meet. An opportunity appears that wasn’t on our schedule.

It is easy to see these moments as interruptions, but sometimes they are actually part of the purpose of the day.

You may meet someone who helps you in a way you never anticipated. Just as importantly, you may find yourself in exactly the right place to encourage, assist, or support someone else. What seems like a change in plans may actually be an opportunity that could never have happened if everything had gone according to schedule.

Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) reminds us:

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

There is nothing wrong with making plans. Calendars, schedules, and goals help us use our time wisely. But we should hold those plans loosely enough to recognize when the path before us begins to change.

Not every unexpected turn is a setback. Sometimes the different route is the better route.

So when your day doesn’t unfold exactly as you imagined, don’t immediately become frustrated by it. Pay attention to the people you encounter, the conversations that develop, and the opportunities that unexpectedly appear. Trust that there may be something worthwhile in the change.

Make your plans, but remain open to where the day takes you. Sometimes the days we didn’t plan become the days we needed most.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

This tree was very near the Smoky Mountain cabin where my wife and I spent our anniversary several summers ago.  I thought this area on the tree was interesting.  I’m not certain what caused the damage, though.  Lightening?  No, that would have likely done more damage than just one spot.  Perhaps a bear looking for grubs?  Very possibly.  The point is, I saw what had been done to the tree, and I chose not to be there when the culprit returned.

Sometimes the troubles of this life come, not because of something someone else has done, but simply because we choose to stay where we do not belong.  Maybe that’s the reason behind the saying “curiosity killed the cat.”  Apparently, some cat died while in the midst of something where it should not have been involved.

Let’s practice that long-lost art called “common sense” this week.  Where there seems to be danger, where there are signs of danger, where we see damage caused by danger, there must be danger.  Leave it alone.  

I decided if a bear wanted that tree, he could have it.  If Satan is determined to attack this week (and he is), then I will remove myself from the situation and go on about the Lord’s business.  Do the Lord’s business this Labor Day week.  And be very much aware of surrounding dangers.

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Many of you will recognize the bridge in my picture.  For those who don’t, it’s the Alamuchee Covered Bridge on the campus of the University of West Alabama (formerly Livingston University).  I have walked across this bridge many, many times through the years.  Formerly located just out of town, it was moved and preserved some 55 years ago and continues its life as a pedestrian bridge across the duck pond on the college campus.

There are many things I would like to say about this bridge.  One, it serves as a true bridge to carry you over uncertain terrain.  God carries us just so.  Also, the bridge casts a beautiful reflection on the waters below.  And we certainly should be a reflection of God in our troubled world.

But although those things are true, what I really want to remind us of today is that we may age, we may weather, we may be moved from our original comfort zone, and we may be re-purposed from time to time, depending on how God wants to use us, but we are, and will always be, useful to the Creator.

Survey your surroundings, accept your placement, and continue your witness — right where God has placed you.

Oh, and one more thing.  Along with a duck pond, come the ducks.  They are nasty, they make a mess, and they leave things for people to step into.  And yet, the bridge carries on.  As must we.

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Well, it’s a new week again.  Time to double-check the calendar, re-read the schedule, make goals and get started.  We’ve got lots to do, it seems, and so very little time to get it all accomplished.  So we must tighten our belts, get serious, concentrate, and get the job done.  No monkey business.  Right?

Not at all.  On one of our many zoo trips over the years (this one in Jackson, MS), we watched this little monkey playing around and entertaining the crowd.  Not a care in the world.  Not a worry or a bother.

All play & no work is completely irresponsible.  All work & no play is detrimental to our health.  So what do we do?  Include a little monkey business in your schedule, either planned or impromptu.

Everyone of us needs a break.  I encourage you to take one.  God has a sense of humor.  Have fun living and learning, and thank God for giving you the time and ability to do so!  Every day has 24 hours in it.  What you do with that time is completely up to you.  There is certainly a time & place when seriousness needs to be had.  But I would much rather have wrinkles from laugh lines than from worries.  How about you?

Channel your inner monkey this week.  Enjoy the world the Lord made.

Just a thought.

Some days begin with a plan, a schedule, and a clear sense of what needs to be accomplished. Then, without warning, everything changes. A phone call, an unexpected problem, a last-minute request, or one small complication after another can turn an ordinary day into complete chaos.

In those moments, it is easy to focus only on everything that has gone wrong. But sometimes the disruption itself creates opportunities we never would have planned. A new relationship may begin because our paths crossed unexpectedly. An obstacle may force us to find a solution we did not know we were capable of finding. The pressure of a difficult day may strengthen our resolve and prepare us for something greater that lies ahead.

God does not need perfect circumstances to accomplish His purposes. He can work through interruptions just as easily as He can work through our carefully made plans. What feels like chaos to us may still contain moments of purpose, growth, encouragement, and connection that we will only recognize when we look back.

When the day gets away from us, perhaps the prayer is not simply, “Lord, make this easier,” but also, “Lord, help me see where You are working in the middle of this.” We may not control what comes through the door today, but we can trust that God is present in every challenge, every conversation, and every unexpected turn.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:3

This week, when the unexpected happens, remember that a disrupted plan does not mean a wasted day. Sometimes God does some of His most meaningful work in the moments we never planned for.