By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

I very recently tagged along with my wife on one of her work trips, as I’m known to do.  While she attended her meetings and worked all day, I roamed around downtown San Antonio, Texas, and up and down the Riverwalk.  This wasn’t our first trip there.  We’ve always enjoyed visiting that city.

One of the first things I realized as I began my walking on day number one was that several things didn’t look like they did the last time I was there.  I remembered some things being where they no longer were.  And there were some things now where nothing once was.  I questioned my memory.

You see here a night-time view of the Mission San Antonio de Valero, now known simply as the Alamo.  In the evening when the crowds are much smaller than the bustling daylight hours, the Alamo is truly beautiful to see.  In the processes that helped seal the independence of the state of Texas from Mexico, the people were challenged to “Remember the Alamo,” or in other words, remember what happened, and fight!  So, that phrase, “Remember the Alamo,” has become synonymous with the place.  Question your memory, as such.

The most recent sermon I preached brought me to a place where I was trying to explain a point, and suddenly I completely lost my train of thought, and I struggled along with my listeners to remember what I was talking about.  That is a strange and embarrassing feeling.  I tried to remember, and I couldn’t at that moment.  And I questioned my memory.

As we experience the aging process of our parents and so many others around us, we watch those dear people struggle with their memory, even questioning themselves at times.  We walk into a room and can’t remember why we are there.  We don’t write down our grocery list because we “only need two things,” and we come home with everything but those two things, because we forgot about them.

Psalm 56:9 is a short but powerful verse that includes these words (or something similar, depending on your translation) – “This I know, my God is with me!”

Lord Jesus, if I forget everything I’ve ever known, if I forget everyone I’ve ever loved, if I forget everywhere I’ve ever been, I will be fine as long as I remember that You are with me!

Thank God that even when I question my memory, I still remember what He has done for me!  What a blessing!  “Remember!”

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

A couple of years ago, I drove our rented car through some uninviting neighborhoods, taking each turn just as our navigation system instructed.  We turned left, then right, then again and again, seemingly getting more lost with each turn.  Eventually we could see that famous New York City skyline in the distance.  Another straight stretch of road, another turn or two, and we pulled into the parking lot of the Jersey City, New Jersey port stop for the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor tours.

I parked the car, and my wife and I walked the long stretch of sidewalks up to an impressive old building, entering through the massive doors of what was at one time a building bustling with travelers the world over.  We stood in line and purchased the tickets you see here.  We were headed to Liberty Island.

Of course, we stood in another long line awaiting our turn on one of the intermittent ferry boats into which over three hundred of us crowded for the short harbor ride.  The views were amazing, the history was spine-tingling and hair-raising, and the weather couldn’t have been better.  These two tickets, as our souvenirs, are our reminder of a great trip that particular day.

My church family has heard me say many times that while I’m not necessarily eager to board the bus today, I have my ticket!  I’m a blood-bought born-again Bible-believing God-fearing, child of the King.

What makes my ticket to leave this old world different from that Liberty Island ticket?  Well, you see, it’s very simple.  I bought the Liberty Island ticket.  I used my own funds from my own resources to make that purchase.  The other ticket I hold was given to me free of charge by the One Who paid the ultimate price for it!  

Especially at this Easter season, focus on all that our Lord and Savior went through on our behalf!  Nothing I have is mine because I earned it.  He offered it to me freely because I simply put my faith and trust in Him.  He bought my ticket!  AND, He has already paid for your ticket as well.

The question is this – Are you planning to make the trip?  If so, you must accept that ticket.  There’s no way to know when the ‘bus’ or ‘ferry’ will arrive to take us Home.  But as long as we have our ticket, we are ready for the trip!  And, oh, what a trip that will be!

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Our family trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, last October was no different than any of trips anywhere else in that I took lots of pictures.  I delete many of them later, but sometimes I’m surprised by what I later find as I scan through all those photos.  This is one of those.

We had paused for a break in our walking and were standing on a small bridge people-watching, one of my favorite activities.  We could see Cinderella’s Castle not too terribly far across the way, so I took a few pictures as we walked around.  This particular one was free of distractions, no crowds of people, just the castle.

But what makes the picture nice to me is that the castle is perfectly reflected in the still water of the small pond.  You can see the inverted castle in all its glory, and all the clouds around it even show up clearly.  It was a great reflection of the real thing.

I believe that’s exactly what we are called to be in this world.  We are to be a great reflection of Jesus!  Perfect we will never be this side of Heaven.  But we can certainly share and show His love with those around us.

My reflection of Jesus will probably never be as clear, calm, and perfect as that pool of water shows the castle.  But by the grace of God, I can get pretty close to that.

And, as I strive to reflect the goodness of God in a hurting world, there will no-doubt be those people who are surprised by how clearly the Lord shines through such an imperfect person.  May that be our goal for this week ahead.  Reflect Jesus, no matter what stirs underneath the surface, no matter the distractions, no matter our imperfections. 

Just show them Jesus!

Just a thought.

Just a thought to help start your week.

Going on two weeks now, the little fellow you see pictured here has visited me every single morning without fail.  As I sit typing this right now, he is chirping loudly and pecking away at the window.  I believe he is seeing his reflection and is trying to defend his territory for his little lady, who has been sitting quietly in the bush behind him most mornings.

Every single morning, he has arrived around 7am.  This morning it was about a quarter till.  The chirping and pecking begin, and he won’t let up for two or three hours.  I pull the curtains back, hoping to change the lighting or glare so that he doesn’t see his reflection and want to fight.  But it does very little good.  He is focused.  He is determined.  He is relentless.  And he is tireless.

Peck, peck, peck.  Chirp, chirp, chirp.  Over and over.  Persistent, defending his loved one and keeping her safe from all that might cause harm.  If only we were that focused and had that same work ethic.

Every single morning, without fail, for all of my fifty-five plus years, I have opened my eyes (and ears), knowing that the Lord was already there, waiting for my conversation with Him.  He hangs around, talking to me even when I try to tune Him out, and even when I just don’t listen.  He is protecting me from harm I don’t even realize is there.  He talks to me.  He sings love songs to me.  He remains close by — not for my entertainment, but for my companionship.

Without this little cardinal, my morning today would be so much quieter.  The window at the end of the hall would be dark, with curtains drawn.  The noise would be gone.  I’d be all alone.

Without Him, life would be even quieter, darker, and lonely.  “Without Him, I could do nothing.  Without Him, I’d surely fail.  Jesus.  Oh, Jesus.  Do you know Him today?  Do not turn Him away!”  He’s there, talking to you even now.  Are you paying attention?  Are you listening?  Begin your days with Him.  You’ll never be the same again.

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

I had a really strange feeling that I was being watched.  It wasn’t a scary kind of feeling, but I definitely knew something was there.  So I looked out the window, and sure enough.  There he stood.

He was staring directly at me.  Both of those beady eyes were fixated on mine.  His posture was stiff, as if he hadn’t wanted to be detected.  He remained motionless for a brief moment or two, apparently surveying the situation and weighing his options.  It was as if he knew he had been discovered, and he was unsure of whether to run or just ignore the situation.

It sounds like a crazy lead into a Friday night movie, but I assure you it was real.  From what I could see, he was fuzzy and gray.  He was purposefully trying to stand taller than he actually was, perhaps to ward off any danger, or perhaps even to impress the one who had suddenly seen him there staring into the occupied house.

That very brief moment or two seemed much longer to both of us.  I’m quite sure the creature, because of his nature, knew exactly what a nut was.  And here he stood – staring at the biggest one he had ever seen – a much taller, but also gray-haired, “nut” staring right back at him!

The encounter ended as quickly as it had begun, and each of us scurried off to some other task.  So, what could have possibly been the purpose behind that mid-morning meeting?  Could either the little guy or I have been meant to learn something from the other?  

I submit this to the reader.  You’ve read this craziness without pause.  You’ve taken it all in.  You’ve pictured both of us in your mind’s eye, and you’ve snickered at the ridiculousness of it all.

I hope and pray that as you read the Word of God in the week ahead, you do so without pause.  You take it all in.  You picture it in your mind’s eye, and you see the ridiculousness of a forgiving, all-knowing God Who watches your every move simply because He loves you!  It makes no sense, but it’s true!  I can’t explain it.  I simply trust that He is Who He says He is, and that He cares enough to love even a “nut” like me!

Feel like you’re being watched?  Good!  You are!  And He loves the one He sees!

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

A few short years ago, during several days in France, we traveled from place to place and saw many things.  We experienced the coasts of Omaha Beach and others where the infamous D-Day activities took place.  We ventured into the Loire Valley, well-known for its generations-old vineyards and wineries.  We visited the palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre. 

Each of those places, and so many more that we saw, was uniquely different and magnificent.  But in order to see each and every one of those sights in about nine days, we had to travel, sometimes hours at a time, into the French countryside.  One afternoon as the bus rolled down the roadway out in the middle of nowhere, we saw some of these gigantic structures pictured here.  You can probably guess what this is.  It is exactly what you think — part of a nuclear power facility.

To say we were astonished would be an understatement.  We had seen many wonderful things, things which were brand new to the vast majority of us in our group.  But none of us had ever seen one of these, and I haven’t forgotten it.

We weren’t looking for it.  We didn’t expect to find it.  And yet, in the middle of everything everywhere was this giant power source.  —  Wow!  Did you catch that?

In the middle of my roaming about in this life, when I’m at awe and blown away by so many worldly things that take my attention, when I set my sights on things that have value only on this side of Heaven, right there in the middle of it all sits my Lord with the power to control everything everywhere!

Even when I’m not looking (or maybe, especially when I’m not looking), there He is, right in the middle of nowhere and yet everywhere.  The power of my Jesus, of which I am truly in awe!  Grab the camera, take notes, don’t miss it as you fly by on life’s highway — the power of the One Who created it all.  Take notice.  Those moments are worth remembering!

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Over the Christmas holidays, my grand-dog named Scout came to visit.  He brought his parents, my middle one and her hubby, with him, of course.  He’s my beautiful shiny black mostly-lab, part probably-pit, doesn’t really matter because he’s so great, four-legged grandchild with the biggest brown eyes you’ve ever seen.

We wore him out with all the excitement in the house.  After a while, he just gave up, laid his head in my lap, and took a well-deserved nap.  But, before all that, he had been seriously intrigued by the neighbor’s similar-looking dog roaming around in our yard.  And so, Scout sat on the couch and talked loudly to the one on the other side of that window!

You see, Scout didn’t understand why he was inside while the other dog was outside.  They were in separate places.  One roaming freely, one seemingly confined against his will indoors, at least for the moment.  Scout’s boundless energy and unparalleled enthusiasm could have gotten him in some trouble outside.  In our trips out there, it was not a man walking a dog, it was a dog walking (running!) this man, struggling to pull his leash as I held on with all I had.  Scout was amazed by our not-so-friendly-toward-him cat, the many squirrels, the horses, cows, and goat.  He loved his exploring time, but it had to be just that.

Had I unhooked Scout from his leash, we would likely still be looking for him.  The world and its excitement would be too much for him to handle.  He would run, he would chase, he would do his best to figure out why that other dog got to roam around all by itself with no supervision!

We behave like Scout some days.  We tug, jerk, and pull on the reigns that God tries to have on our lives.  We think we would rather roam around freely, chasing whatever fancied our whim at the moment.  And if we continue in that untamed energy, if we run with no boundaries, if we ignore the one trying so hard to hold the leash, and just take off on our own, we are as lost as the one who never saw a leash, a rule, or a commandment.

Scout will grow up to be a fine grand-dog in his home with boundaries, supervised outdoor excursions, and windows through which he can look, but not touch what could lead him in the wrong direction.  Maybe we should all heed the example of that furry four-legged friend.  Yield to the hand of the One who knows the harm we could experience turned loose on our own this week.

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Life sometimes gives you those days when you feel like you need the protection and coverage of the hand of God more than ever.  Things, for whatever the reason, have dealt you a hard blow.  You hurt.  You want to run away.  You feel like hiding somewhere away from everyone and everything.  What you’d really like is to crawl in a hole in a rock somewhere and just stay there.

This particular hole in a rock is a cave at what is called Jackson’s Falls, one of many scenic spots along the famed Natchez Trace.  One can walk and explore around the water fall, roam the old paths, and climb the rocks if you dare.  The cave seems to beckon for anyone to come.

There is an old hymn that I love.  In it are these words:

“A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, A wonderful Savior to me;

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, Where rivers of pleasure I see.

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burden away,

He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved, He giveth me strength as my day.

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, That shadows a dry, thirsty land;

He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand, And covers me there with His hand.”

That big old cave or hole that you would really love to crawl into and hide from the world just happens the be the very place where God’s loving and gracious hands will cover you from the things of this world and take away your burdens!

I want you to know today that it’s okay to not be okay.  Crawl into your hole and hide if that’s what you really need today.  Just remember that the Lord is there, waiting to hold you tight.  Perhaps the quiet solitude of the cave or cleft in the rock is exactly where you needed to be after all.

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Did you study another language in school?  Have you had the opportunity to befriend someone who speaks a different language?  If you have, then you probably are more appreciative of their background, heritage, or homeland.

In high school, I had a friend who was studying French.  By listening to him, I learned a few phrases, none of which I actually used when I visited France, though!  In college, I had a friend from Turkey.  His language and foods were fascinating and enjoyable.  Our Chinese friends locally have allowed us to see how the love of Jesus is working through them and through their family members at home.  All of these have been opportunities to love others as God sees and loves them.

Take a look at my picture this week.  You probably have no problem reading the Bible verse on the left side, but what about the one on the right?  I tried.  I read it aloud at my sister’s house at Christmas.  When I finished, she responded with, “Well, I recognized a couple of those words.”  She wasn’t complimenting my usage of the language.  She knows those words.  I obviously didn’t.  My sister and her pastor husband work with and minister to the people of the Choctaw Indian reservation in central Mississippi.  This Bible is my brother-in-law’s English/Choctaw translation.

I didn’t do well at reading those Choctaw words of John 3:16.  But those words will no-doubt bring love, joy, and comfort to those who know the language.

If we are to meet the needs of the people around us, we must know their language.  That may mean speaking differently, approaching them differently, being more patient, and lovingly encouraging the lost around us to come to know the language of the Lord – LOVE.

There was a phrase that our supervisor used frequently when I worked with the welfare system, and it’s a phrase that a Sunday School teacher or two uses from time to time in our church.  It is simply this — “People will never care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Part of caring for the lost is learning how to speak to them.  Beating them over the head with the Word and telling them they’re lost will generally not be nearly as effective as living the Word in front of them and showing them, as Sandi Patty sang, “Love in Any Language.”

Just a thought.

By Brad Campbell –

Just a thought to help start your week.

Just the other day I picked up the necessary ingredients, got busy in the kitchen, and worked diligently to stir up a batch of old-fashioned homemade fudge.  I measured everything precisely.  I followed the directions to the letter.  I stirred constantly.  I did everything I was supposed to do.

It wasn’t long before the wonderful aroma of the thick hot chocolate mixture filled the house.  It smelled great.  I finished the product, poured it into the prepared pan, and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  I finally gave up on seeing the gooey stuff set up, I covered it, and put it in the fridge for the night.

The next morning I retrieved the pan full of the prettiest looking fudge you’ve ever seen.  I tried cutting it, and it just oozed back together.  It never set up.  So much for taking it to a family gathering that day.  I began texting my sister asking for her opinion and helpful hints.  First of all, this was not my first fudge rodeo.  However, the results had always been the same.  Beautiful to look at.  Wonderful to smell.  But never set up like it should.

My sister’s kind suggestion was to just pour it in a jar, call it “spoon fudge,” and pretend I meant for it to be like that!  So I took her advice, and the jar you see here is the result.

This year is very quickly coming to an end (or may have already, depending on when you see this).  The brand new year of 2024 is appearing with all of its possibilities and promises of a grander tomorrow.  So my point to this rambling is simply this — 

Maybe 2023 didn’t turn out like you meant for it to.  Maybe you believe you did everything just right.  You followed His direction, you did everything you could to make sure all was right.  And yet, it still didn’t set right.  Maybe the year looked beautiful, but you feel fooled by how it turned out.  My advice to you is to just pour it in a jar, call it something else delicious, and pretend you meant for it to be that way.

The nice thing about my “failed” fudge is that it tastes absolutely delicious!  A spoonful of the delectable treat will make you want for more.  It’s all in your perspective.  I could have dumped the “mistake” and started over or even given up completely.  Instead, I came up with a wonderful result, even if it was unintentional.  

Maybe 2023 hasn’t come together like you hoped.  Aw, fudge!  Maybe, just maybe you need to take a different look at it, grab yourself a spoon, and just enjoy the fruits (or fudge) of your labors!  You may find that it has turned out so much better than it could have!

Just a thought.