Go Easy Ministries

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. Luke 1: 67-75 KJV
Wherever God is leading you this morning go without fear; you have been delivered!
Go Easy,

**** here is an update for everyone. We are praising God tonight; we are all home and will sleep in our beds tonight. Ethan is doing great. He recived amazing care at Greer Memorial Hospital, in reality the nursing staff cared for all of us. There were some really scarry moments but God is with us and He is good. Thank you for your prayers, please continue to pray.**** Me and my guys have been looking at the birth of Jesus both in Matthew and in Luke. I have never realized, until this study, how many times the messengers from God tell the listeners to fear not or don't be afraid. Joseph, Zacharias, Mary and the Shepherds were all told not to fear. We also read in several different places that nothing is impossible with God. As I type this from the ER where I sit with my 34 year old son who has had a bad reaction to his latest chemo treatment I am trying not to be afraid. I am trying to trust that a God who can cause a virgin and an old lady to bear children can cure Stage 4 cancer. I believe in my heart that my God can but my son, my family and I would appreciate your prays.
Go Easy,

We don't hear much about Joseph, he is just the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus, right? No, Joseph is the man that God chose to be Jesus' earthly father. We had an interesting look at Joseph this week during our 5:30 am bible studies and found there are many things men can learn from Joseph’s example. First, Joseph sought justice and fairness (Matthew 1:19) even when it didn’t make sense or when it wasn’t easy. Secondly, Joseph was obedient to God’s directives (Matthew 1:20-25; 2:13-14; 2:19-21 and 2:22-27). Without discussion or delay, Joseph was obedient. Thirdly Joseph protected his family. We see in chapter 2:13-15 that Joseph, acting on God’s instruction, moves his family to safety. And lastly, Joseph is a courageous leader. In chapter 2:19-23 we find Joseph afraid of the evil surrounding his family. He does not allow fear to paralyze him. Trusting God Joseph courageously takes action to lead his family to a safe place. This is God’s design for men, husbands and fathers. We are to seek justice and be obedient, courageous leaders, providing for and protecting our families. There is nothing toxic in this kind of masculinity and there is also nothing weak or feminine in it either. “God has called us first to be men”, Rev. Robert Orr, Jr.

Go Easy,

By the Grace of God, we have started a study in the book of Matthew. Our goal is to teach our young men how to build an abundant life, and we all know any good build must have a solid foundation. With life, that foundation must be a relationship with Jesus Christ, so what better way to introduce The Foundation than to start with the Gospels. As we start, we encounter some of the most familiar verses in all of the Bible, the Christmas story. How could there be anything fresh in those verses, we hear them every Christmas in every Christmas play, read them in Christmas cards, and they are present everywhere. Well, I can't wait to share the new perspective God has brought out of these verses for the benefit of young men who need to understand what it really means to be a man, a husband and a father. But I will wait until God teaches them to the group.

Go Easy,

Roberto had the day off from his regular job yesterday and decided to spend his time off installing some flooring in the bunkhouse. He did an amazing job. Thank you, my friend.
Go Easy,

Do you remember the story Jesus told in Luke 18:9-14? It was a story about two guys who went to church one day. One guy was a pharisee, to the world a perfect picture of a godly man, to Jesus the perfect picture of a religious hypocrite. The other guy was a tax collector, the world saw him as a no good cheat, Jesus loved him. When they got to church the pharisee made a “how great I am” speech disguised as a prayer and the tax collector humbly and mournfully asked God to forgive him because he was a sinner. Jesus ends the story by saying that the tax collector went home a changed man, forgiven and justified. What if the story had been different? What if the tax collector had got up that morning and said I just can’t bear going to church this morning with that hypocritical, better than everybody else pharisee? The tax collector would have missed out on God's radical grace and a new life living the reality of God’s love for him. The pharisee is unchanged either way; but the tax collector had everything to gain. What hypocrite are you allowing to keep you from the life God has for you? Don't let “sister Bertha better than you” keep you from the only one who really matters; Christ Jesus.

Go Easy,

When I saw the movie trailer for Sounds of Hope, I thought of James 1:27, where James writes that we are to be present in the afflictions of the orphan. The verse is very similar to Isaiah 1:17, which instructs us to defend the cause of the orphan. In Isaiah we fight for the orphans rights against the world's system which would oppress them but in James we are fighting alongside the orphan in their troubles. If I am reading the movie trailer right this little church in Texas did both with very little resources or influence powered only by the Holy Spirit and they are changing the world. With this post I am encouraging everyone to go to the Angel Studios website and purchase tickets for July 4th, the Go Easy Ministries team has already done so. Watch this movie and ask yourself, what is my place in this battle? Better yet, ask God where you are to serve. I know that the plight of the orphan is heavy on your hearts or you would not be reading this, so let God lead and then get busy.

Go Easy,

The Father of all creation motivated by His radical love sent His Son to do whatever was necessary so that He could have a relationship with you. Remember that the next time the father of lies tells you that you are worthless and no one loves you.

Go Easy,

Encouragement for your Friday

Psalm 46:1-7

King James Version

46 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

The walls are painted, and the electrical is almost done. Thank you, Christy Butler and Emily Humphries for picking a great color for the walls. Folks, we are almost done with the build, and I can't wait for what God has in store next.

We have finished drywall in the bunkhouse. I will be smearing paint on the walls Saturday. Cabinets, trim and flooring and it will be back in the hands of the plumbers and electricians. We're coming to the end of this project and we are really excited about it.

Have you noticed how skeptical our world has become? I have and for the most part I think a little skepticism is warranted but I am afraid that the populus has become increasingly skeptical of the Bible and things of God in general. The big question, can we trust what is written in the Bible and can we trust in the guys who wrote it? So let's assume for a few minutes that the guys who wrote the New Testament were the biggest con men that ever walked the earth and everything they wrote was a part of their con. Con men are looking for some personal gain as a result of their con, right? So did the New Testament writers get rich portraying this con? No they were so hated by the rich leaders of their time, this con brought only hardship and poverty. In fact when we look at the Apostle Paul, when he was not in prison he had to rely on others to provide for him. He spent a lot of time in prison so he was always broke. That is the way it was for those guys, moving from town to town and on the run most of the time. Look with me at the list of these guys and how their lives ended:

James was beaten, stoned, and then clubbed to death at age 94 in Jerusalem.

Jude, brother of James, was crucified in 72 A.D. in Edessa.

Luke was hanged on an olive tree in Greece.

Mark was dragged to death in Alexandria.

Matthew was killed with a sword in Ethiopia,

Paul was beheaded with a sword in Rome.

Peter was crucified in Rome, head down by request as unworthy to die as Christ.

Pretty harsh and why were they put to death, for preaching the Good News that we find in the Bible. Now I have encountered some really good con men in my life that even when faced with the reality that they've been caught, refused to give up the con. But I have never met one that wouldn’t come clean when faced with being nailed to a cross or having their head cut off, beaten to death with sticks or a club. Andrew, one of the disciples of Jesus but not one of the writers, was nailed to a cross and instead of crucifying him in the traditional manner they set the cross in the ground sideways which led to Andrew being alive on the cross for a very long time. He spent that time preaching the Good News to anyone within the sound of his voice, does that sound like a con? Pretty stupid con men that portray a con that brings no personal gain but instead hardship, torture and death. No, they knew what they saw and experienced and He moved them to share it with the world regardless of the costs.

This collection of books we call the Holy Bible is true and the words found in it transforms the life of the reader. You will turn a page in your life and start a new chapter when you begin to read, receive and apply the Bible to your life. Most of us have disappointments, hurts, defeats, abuse, embarcements, shame, guilt, and much more in our past but today you can begin a new journey with the Bible as your guide. On this journey you will find new life and abundant life filled with struggles and challenges but most of all you will find victory.

Go Easy,

Early this morning, before day break, I am in the truck taking the guys to school with christian radio, providing the tunes as a song comes on that I had heard before. I don't know the name of the song but there is a line in the song that says”I will build a boat in the desert place” an obvious reference to the biblical account of Noah’s ark. As I said, I have heard the song many times, and I have read the account of Noah building the ark many, many times in my life, but this morning God gave me a different perspective. What do you think it was like for Noah 10 minutes after God closed the door of that big boat? I imagine that the folks outside suddenly realized what was about to happen. Their crazy neighbor Noah had been warning them for 120 years that the flood was coming, as he built the boat they made fun of him. They all thought he had a screw loose because it didn’t rain where they lived, and this nutjob was predicting enough rain to flood the entire earth. And now here they stood, Noah and his family safe on the ark, and they were stuck outside as the rain poured and the flood waters rose. I imagine they banged on the door, screamed in terror, begged for forgiveness for not listening to him and treating him horribly. I think they even cried out to God, asking Him to save them, begging for forgiveness. I don't know about you, but I would have had a hard time listening to that without trying to help them. I am typically the guy who gives everyone a second chance or third or fourth chance. I think I would have started rationalizing all the reasons why I should open the door and let them in. They have seen the errors of their ways, they have asked to be forgiven, we are supposed to love everyone, and have compassion on all people and afterall they have asked God to forgive them, who am I to keep them out. Now, of course I know that God closed the door, so no matter how Noah felt, he didn't have the ability to open it, but what if he had? That open door would have likely caused the ark to take on water, ultimately destroying it and killing everyone on board. What I draw from this is that if God closes a door, there's a good reason, and we better leave it shut. Even if seemingly good things or good people are on the other side of that door. It can be very hard watching the door close out those people and things that we have enjoyed and even loved, but to try and open a door that God has closed is rebellion and disobedience. We can rest assured that if God closes that door blocking us from “good things”, He has better things in store. We just need to be patient. Let us resolve to leave the closed doors shut, wait on the next open one, and then rush to walk through it. Knowing that He is faithful, we can praise Him as the door closes and in the waiting and in the revealing of what lies in the open one.

Go Easy,

I had a fantastic time with the men of Inman First Baptist Church on Sunday morning. Their hospitality made me feel at home and the sense of brotherhood was strong. I believe that these men love and respect one another; it is a strong fellowship and a strong ministry. The food was pretty awesome too, beacon and sausage and the grits were on point a real southern breakfast. They gave me the liberty to share my heart and introduce them to the ministry and I believe that we made a strong connection that will lead to a long relationship loving God and being about the Father’s business. If you are looking for a church in the Inman area I would pay them a visit. It's a beautiful campus, the pasture has been there for a long time so there is a sense of strong stable leadership. If you are looking, the visit will not be a waste of your time.

Go Easy,

Please say a prayer for me as I speak at the Inman First Baptist Church men's prayer breakfast this Sunday morning

We are in the midst of lambing season, and I am exhausted but so incredibly thankful. Check out these pictures and try not to say awwwww!

If you live in South Carolina like I do, you know that we have a presidential primary coming up. It seems like the last thing I see on the TV before I go to bed is a ridiculous political ad and the first thing I see in the morning is one more ridiculous than the one I went to bed with. It is easy to get caught up in the madness of defending or supporting our candidate or party. Lately God has been leading me into a different perspective on all of this political stuff. He brought to mind 1 Samual chapter 8 when the elders came to the Prophet Samual demanding that he appoint an earthly king to rule over Israel so they could be like all the other nations. Samuel warns them of the kind of king they would get and in just six verses we find the warning “he will take” five times. They wouldn't listen to his warnings and so they got King Saul, a mad man. We need to realize that the earthly ruler, king, congressman or president are flawed people just like we are. It is just human nature to take those things that work to our advantage. Think about it, everytime any government puts into place a regulation, ordinance or law they are taking liberty from someone. Every fee or tax is taking money from someone. Anytime it appears that they give, we must realize that the government doesn’t generate anything so that thing that they gave has to be taken from someone else. It is frustrating and demoralizing if we allow ourselves to get caught up in it. However for those of us who have been redeemed by the sacrifice made by Jesus of Nazareth the Christ we can be encouraged by the fact that we serve a Heavenly King. He is the mighty God, everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (Isahia 9:6) and His Kingdom shall have no end (Luke 1:33). We are foolish if we look to any candidate or party to solve the problems we face. I am not saying that we should ignore elections but what I am saying is that, as believers, we must do our research and cast our vote based upon the information that we have but in all of it we need to remember who we serve. We must unite under the kingship of Jesus and as we come into unity with Him we will also come into unity with each other regardless of our politics. A united church is unstoppable, and the takers’ and haters’ worst fear.
Go Easy. God is on the throne.

Last week was a whirlwind so I have many things to update. First the bunkhouse has been insulated. James and Justin Montogomery did an awesome job. They started on Friday and finished it up Saturday. We will need one more inspection and then we can move on to drywall. We are quickly coming to the end of this project and I can hardly wait to see its completion.We are juggling what feels like a million projects right now so it will be really great to see one complete. Gretchin and I took an unexpected spur of the moment trip last week. Over Christmas a young man that we had fallen in love with was forced to move with his family to another state. It happened very quickly so we had little time to react and we couldn’t prevent the move even though we felt in our spirit that it was a mistake. Monday of last week this young man reached out to a mutual friend asking if we could help him get back to South Carolina. By Tuesday afternoon Gretchin and I were on a plane. We were on the plane for 3 hours and in a car for almost 20 arriving back home early on Thursday morning. This morning he is with friends in a nearby town headed to highschool. In May he will graduate and receive his highschool diploma, praise God. We spent just a few minutes with the family before heading home and the conditions where they are is really bad. They have very little and they fear for their safety. This is a Mom and Dad trying to make a better life for their children, please join us in praying for the “Smith” family. Pray that God will open doors for them and lead us as we minister to them. We hadn’t been home long when I received a call from a teacher who was concerned for one of her students. She told me a little about his situation and my heart is burdened for him. She is reaching out to me because his 18th birthday is quickly approaching. This should be an exciting time for him but instead of a party and gifts he will face evictions. He has been told by his parents that he must move out when he turns 18. Friends this happens more often than we would like to think and there are very few services available to them. In most cases they go unnoticed, it's just another guy on the street or another guy in jail. I know with God’s help we can be a bridge that they walk out of a wrecked childhood into an abundant life as adults, breaking a cycle of devastation. Please pray for this teacher who obviously has a beautiful heart and loves her students. Please pray for “Adam” that in this defining moment he will choose to turn the page and start a new chapter of victory in his life. That God will somehome show him that his past doesn’t determine his future, there is a better way. And pray for us that if we get the opportunity we will love him well. I will keep you updated as things progress. God is moving and I love Him so much for letting me be a part of what He is doing.

Go Easy,

In the new year, peace can be found where it has always been, in the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Merry Christmas from Go Easy Ministries.

This past weekend we had all of the grandkids at the house and it was awesome; oh yeah their parents came with them which was nice. The boys spent the night with us, Kasey and Ryan on Friday night and Wyatt joined the fun on Saturday night. Friday night Kasey slept with us, an experience I won't soon forget. It was like sleeping with an angry octopus! On Sunday we celebrated Christmas with a big dinner and then opened a few gifts. As everyone was fixing their plates I looked around and the kitchen was full, the dining room was full and my heart was full. Oh, how blest we are! This morning as I sit in my warm study at home, it’s 25 degrees outside but it is 70 degrees inside, in a comfy chair; I can't help but think of all those who will not spend Christmas the way I have. They will not stress over eating too much and putting on a few pounds because they have no food, they won’t drive themselves crazy getting the house ready for guest because they are homeless, they aren’t battling the crowds for the perfect gift because their battle is for basic survival, and they will not complain about who is sharing their bed because they don’t have one to share. There are Moms out there who wish they had any kind of gift to give their children this year and there are children out there who wish they had Mom who cared. How do you suppose that Jesus celebrated his birthday while on earth and more importantly how do you think he wants us to celebrate it today? I am not saying that we shouldn't celebrate with family, food and gifts but I do think that Jesus is calling us to serve. This Christmas; stop the madness long enough to look around and really see the people in your community. Ask God to show you how you can serve them and then make yourself available. I believe that if we all do that, the gifts we will enjoy most this Christmas will be the ones that we give, not the ones that we receive.

Go Easy,

Thousands of young men each year are forced from their homes for many reasons, some are no longer welcome, some can’t believe that life on the street could be worse than life at home and for some they had a birthday. For guys in foster care, their 18th birthday means that they must leave the system. For those without help and training, this transition is disastrous. Go Easy Ministries is called and blessed to be that assistance and training for these young men. We minister to their physical needs first, by offering them a bunk in the bunkhouse. They have a warm dry place to sleep and food to eat. We teach, demonstrate and for some, introduce them to the love of Jesus, He is the only one who has promised us an abundant life (John 10:10). Every morning there is Bible study and homestead chores. If there will be milk to drink, someone must milk the goats, if there will be eggs to eat, someone must care for the chickens, if there will be meat to eat, the sheep and chicken must be fed and the vegetables for the meal are growing in the garden. All of this is done before breakfast, in life we must work before we can eat, and then we go to our jobs. You know that place where we give our best effort for a certain amount of time each day and in return we are paid money. In the evening we learn basic life skills, like budgeting our money, cooking, doing laundry, and so on. Put in the simplest terms we are training post childhood boys to be men. The guiding principle is, the past is the past and must be put in its place; God has given us the ability and resources to create an abundant future but we must be producers, no one owes us anything. The vision is that these guys will one day be safe and secure in eternal life (John 17:3), have a job that will sustain them, the money saved to pay utility and rent deposits, the character to steward all of it well and they will leave the bunkhouse ready and excited for life.

Go Easy,

I am a little late with this post but life is pretty busy right now. The folks from North Brook finished up the siding and front deck on Monday. Tuesday my neighbor, Michael Atkins and his crew from At Your Service Heating and Air started work on the HVAC system. Michael has been onboard with this ministry since I first announced it. Almost immediately he went to work lining up contractors for the project like it was his own. When they arrived on Tuesday we took just a few minutes to make sure that we were all on the same page with the layout of the system. There is a lot to consider when you are involved with a project like this, I have never built a bunkhouse before, never been involved with this type of ministry before and so we figure it out as we go. Michael and the team are obviously very experienced and know their business, and helped me think through all of the details. Once the plan was firmed up, they went to work, completing this two day job in just one. I really enjoy watching an experienced crew like this work. There is very little discussion or direction given because each man knows what needs to be done and what their part is in getting it done. Everyone goes to work doing their part until the whole job is complete. A big shout out to Rob, Shane, Skip and my friend, neighbor and brother in Christ Michael Atkins for supplying Go Easy Ministries with a first rate HVAC system. There are just a few loose ends to tie up with the electrical and we will be ready for a rough-in inspection. By the way this isn’t Michael’s project or even mine; it’s our Father’s work and we are just trying to serve Him.

Go Easy,

And just like that, there is a beautiful white bunkhouse with a deck on the front strong enough to hold an elephant. God is good. (If you plan on stopping by with your elephant please give me a heads up.)
Go Easy,

What an awesome Saturday working on the bunk house 💙 Thankful for everyone that showed up and showed out! So much was done and it is looking awesome!

Saturday’s bunkhouse build actually started on Thursday, a few of the men worked Thursday and Friday and then came back for more on Saturday with a few of their friends. Saturday; Northbrook Baptist Church showed up in force and showed out. I think at one time we had twenty-five folks here working. They were of all ages, male and female working together and enjoying every minute of it. The siding was going up on two sides as the deck was being built on the front, it went quick. I challenge any builder in the area to do a better job. The work is not done so they will be back on Monday, stay tuned. Gretchin, Michelle and Emily Cooper were in the kitchen making chicken stew and grilled cheese sandwiches while Tanner, Christy and Emily Humphries were at Tanner’s house whipping up some loaded potato soup. So we worked hard, ate well and fellowshipped a lot; it was a great day. As I watched these folks work, Colosians 3: 23- 24 kept running through my mind “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” These folks gave up their Saturday to work on this project, they gave their time and energy to help me? No, most of these folks had never met me until Saturday, why would they want to help me? There is no paycheck involved so that’s not it. It is obvious, they were working for something more eternal than money and working for someone way bigger than me. They are working for our savior, to whom we owe everything and could never repay. They told me of many projects like this that work in many different places. One day I hope that God will allow me to take a few men and go help them on a project. Men who live in and have come to know Christ in the bunkhouse these folks from Northbrook Baptist Church helped build. I believe that I will get that opportunity one day because that sounds like the God we serve. If you were here and took pictures, please send them, so that we can all enjoy them. I Go Easy knowing that I have the inheritance; what are you working for?

A couple of weeks ago I took some time off work to clear the right of way for the bunkhouse electrical service. Roberto, Emerson, Victor and I worked hard for 4 days cutting trees. I think we probably fell 20 trees ,cut them into firewood and split them. Gretchin and Michelle help with the splitting part. We haven’t had this much wood stacked by the wood furnace in a long time; winter is coming folks better get ready. This week I rented a mid sized excavator, John Deer 130, from Sunbelt rentals to get the stumps out of the way. My friend Danny Sigfried (Big Sig the heavy equipment operator) spent a day and half with me digging up these stumps. We really had a blast playing in the dirt. Now we have a nice clear and straight path from the transformer to the bunkhouse. Today I will call Duke Energy and have them come bury the electric service line. This was a huge job and I am glad to have it behind me. I will also call building codes to schedule my house wrap inspection, who knew the government was interested in house wrap? Assuming I pass, a group of men from Northbrook Baptist Church in Boiling Springs will be here Saturday to start building the front porch and installing the vinyl siding. They have a very strong and active men’s ministry. If you are looking for a church home give them a visit. Next up is the HVAC install which is scheduled for early December. Another inspection for plumbing, electrical and HVAC and then insulation and drywall. I stand amazed at how God puts things together. My neighbor is Micheal Atkins who owns At Your Service Heating & Air. Micheal has been a big supporter of the ministry since the beginning and will install the HVAC. Micheal puts me in touch with Tracy McCall to do the electrical. Tracy has this great idea to involve the electrical class at Swofford and so I meet Craig Seay who is the instructor. Craig is very active in the men’s ministry at Northbrook so he introduces me to Charles Warner. Charles will head up the siding and porch building crew this coming weekend. Hollywood couldn’t write a script like this. Folks, let this be a reminder that our God is one of provision. Stop worrying about the how, focus on the who and the why and watch as God works it out for His Glory and your good.

Go Easy,