Chasing Rainbows!

I have heard many people say that they chased their rainbow and found their pot of gold. Sometimes I have found my pot of gold and at other times and have just found a "pot" when I got to the end of the rainbow.

I am almost convinced that chasing a rainbow or chasing a dream is an ok thing to do! Many times (maybe most times) the rainbow is not really about what you find at the end of it as much as it is about the journey that you are on while you chase. Life is about the journey. A friend of mine told me recently not to let the fears of the unknown keep you from chasing the dream, the rainbow. If at the end all you find is a port-a-john it is ok because you have followed your heart, chased your dream or chased your rainbow.

Look at Moses' life. He chased the rainbow of a land that flows with milk and honey! At the end of his life he did not get to experience the milk and honey(pot of gold) but he was able to look back at his journey. Does this make him failure? I think not... Let dig into his story!

Looking back he (Moses) saw a pillar of fire by night and could remember a cloud by day! He could tell the story of the Red Sea opening and the dry land under his feet. He could share how God provided manna, quail and other food on the journey. He could shout about how water flowed from a rock not once but TWICE in his journey. He could tell his story about seeing God on Mount Sinai! His journey brought him to a place where he not only seen God through the cleft of the rock but watched God carve into tablets His commandments! The shoes that did not wear out, the clothes that did not become thread bare, the battles won while his hands were raised, the tabernacle that was built, the ark of the covenant that was dedicated, the presence of God that was so real and all of this was on his journey. This was not at the end of the rainbow...It was during the journey toward the end!

Encourage yourself not to get caught up with the end of the rainbow but enjoy the journey for all it is! You never know where your dream is going to take you so just follow your rainbow! If you find a port-a-john at the end of it then thank God for a place to get rid of the junk (waste) that you have picked on the journey! :) There is always a pot at the end of a rainbow we just do not know which one! Be thankful for them both!

Catch Up...

Youth Camp!!!

I am sorry it has been so long since I have posted but most of June and July are spent in Church of God Youth Camp for the Hager's!

I Love Youth Camp! I believe that Youth Camp is the greatest evangelistic arm that the Church of God has going! The spiritual statistics from youth camp are greater in number than all of the state evangelism team reports all year. This is not a slam on the evangelism department at all it is a boost for the ministry of CAMP. I was filled with the Holy Ghost, accepted the call into ministry and engaged to my wife all at SC Church of God Youth Camp! My youth camp memories are held close to my heart and are some of the best memories I have! The closest friend I have (My wife Melissa) is a youth camp relationship. Tray Brown, George Forrest, Bobby Forrest, Tonja S. West, Jessica Ashe, Josh Childers, Jamie and Diana Sharpe, Alison Standridge, Amy Elizabeth Harris Robinson, Shane and Candy Stone, Mike, Sandra, Ashley, Derek and Melissa Wooten, Eddie Hardee, Mark Daniel, Joe Grice, Neal Nolan, Neil Dubose, Al Sims and Chad Jordan are just a few names to mention that are life long friends that I found at Youth Camp! I loved the days of the pepsi wagon at the upper ballfield, the softball games played under the lights, the only mixed drink that the Church of God allows the "Suicide", when girls in culottes could drive a teenage boy into full hormonal explosion. (That was all the leg we could see back then) the chicken dance, the hokey pokey, the smell of East Tab, dorms without air conditioning, snow cones, the old white dorm on the hill (Hill Top for all of those who remember), guys raking the slats on the doors of hill top all day and night, no golf carts, the laughter, sneaking out and hiding under the chapel all night with the Griffis' kids and others, the services with Chuck Ramsey and others, Winning Mr. Youth Camp, best all around camper, and MARK MAULDIN! OH Youth Camp. My all time favorite memory is asking my wife to marry me during fun time of Mini Week seven years ago and all of the retired camp ground resident coming to fun time to watch. Oh the memories. I now am having the opprotunity to pastor people who were youth camp friends while growing up in camp! I love it!!! Kids lives are changed forever b/c of YOUTH CAMP...enough of that...If you want more camp memories just call and we can chat...

Campmeeting 2008...

Raymond Culpepper, Tommy Bates and Perry Stone in the evenings and Doug Small in the mornings. We had it all in SOUTH CAROLINA~~~ Great BIG shout out to our Overseer T. Propes on the line up! Best one in SC in YEARS. The music was good, the services were all awsome and catching up with friends was priceless!

Forth Of July was great. We had our parents and grandparents over and we grilled burgers, ate watermelon, and churned homeade ice cream. It is always great to be with the fam! Here is the latest pic of the fam. Enjoy!!!