A Word from Your Missionary, Steve Laughman
Laugh at me if you want, but I was one of those weird kids who liked going back to school. My name is Steve, and I am a nerd. (Hi, Steve.) To all the other nerds or former nerds out there, you know the feeling of getting new school supplies and gleefully finishing your summer reading in anticipation of that first day back in the classroom. You had your new mechanical pencil and Scooby-Doo lunch box ready to go long before you needed them. Even now as I walk the aisles of Walmart, I resist the urge to buy new, clean, unmarked notebooks and calendars. There is something about a new start.
I guess that is why I enjoyed the beginning of school. It was a chance to start over. The notebooks served as a modern clean slate on which I would eventually work out problems or write about the things I was learning. A new school year was a chance to prove myself again, a chance to rise to the challenge and explore the possibilities.
Of course, I didn’t always get it right. I remember when erasable ink came out. In theory, you could erase your mistake, even if it was written in pen. In reality, you just smudged the paper and probably rubbed a hole in it. Aren’t you glad God doesn’t leave it up to us to erase our own mistakes? He offers a clean slate each time we mess up. If it were my job to clean up my messes, I would surely make a bigger mess. But I serve a Savior who is bigger than my mistakes. He covers them with His blood and removes them from my account. I have the joy of a fresh start every single day.
Whether you or your church is riding the wave of God’s goodness or you are sinking because of the weight of your burdens, look to Him for your joy and success. He offers a new start when times are hard and He sustains us when times are good. Let us not rely on our own abilities or talents, but rest in His strength and power.
CBA works to connect you with the resources you need to be the church God wants you to be. I would encourage everyone to take advantage of the offerings listed here in the newsletter. GO Georgia is an especially good opportunity for you to receive training and encouragement no matter what area of ministry you are called to. We are fortunate that this year it will be held in Macon, very close to most of us. Sunday School Mentoring starts this month. It is not too late for your church to participate. Contact me for more information on this or anything else you read here.
