There’s so much I can say about my Dad, Jim Hamby, but I don’t think I could do it justice if I sat here and typed all day long. In a time when such a large portion of pastors drop out of the ministry due to stress and burnout, my Dad persevered no matter how many crazy church members came against him, no matter how bad the finances looked, no matter how much the devil was attacking him and his family. He was faithful because he was called and he never forgot that calling. Even when his kidneys were failing him and he couldn’t see out of 1 eye and his feet were so swelled that he could barely get shoes on, he preached his heart out and cared for his church people like they were family. He was a man of God…a man of integrity, honesty, compassion and grace.

But, he was so much more than that to me. He was my Dad. He was the ultimate example of what a provider should be. When we lived on a shoe string budget and we barely had food, we always had everything that we needed and more…even if it meant him having to work 2 or 3 other jobs while pastoring full time. When I became a teenager and rebelled against everything and everyone, my Dad never made me feel bad or like a failure. He was just there for me. When I would stagger in at 4 am, drunk as a skunk, he would be sitting there on the porch, waiting for me. He didn’t yell at me or look at me with a disappointed look…he just got up, opened the door and put his arm around me as we went inside. When I got kicked out of Lee College twice for drugs, he came down and got me and took me home, making sure he stopped at my favorite restaurant on the way home.

Jim Hamby was a living example of how a man should be. A devoted husband, a caring and loving father and a child of God who was madly in love with Jesus. Dad, we’ll miss you horribly but we are all so happy that you are with your savior now and we’ll see you soon!

Sweet, my company just bought NBC!  I’m not exactly sure if and how this will affect myself as an employee but it’s kind of cool to be working for a company that buys NBC!  It’s also reassuring to be employed with someone that’s able to shell out $13.5 billion in the middle of a recession.  This shows that people can do without food, electricity and other  basic necessities of life but PLEASE don’t take away their cable!!!  Oh well, I’m not complaining.  I’m just hoping I get some good discounts from this deal!

I’ve come to the conclusion that you don’t truly know what “fear” is until you try to plant a church!  This is especially true when you’re attempting to plant a church from scratch with no people, no money and just a whole lot of hope that you’re doing the right thing.  I’ve never really struggled with fear before in my life.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not some Superman or something that rushed into dangerous situations without considering the consequences.  I have always just had a sense of confidence that I was competent enough to get the job done and everything will turn out fine in the end.  Well, church planting is a WHOLE OTHER ANIMAL!

Planting a life giving church has nothing to do with my competence or my gifts or my talents…it really has nothing to do with me at all!  And I’m cool with this because the last thing I want to do is start some ‘cult of personality’ church that is centered around any one person, especially me.  Through this humbling process, I’m finding that I’m doing a lot less talking and a lot more listening…listening to Paige, listening to our community, listening to people that have wisdom and especially trying to listen to the still small voice of God.  But you know what?  When you’re really, really trying to hear from God, that still small voice can be really, really annoying!  There are times when I NEED to hear from God and I don’t need a whisper or a pull in my spirit…I need a big, fat billboard saying “HEY TROY, GO THIS WAY!!”

And I guess that’s where the fear comes in.  We are just at the beginning of this process but I find myself waking up in the middle of the night thinking thoughts like “where in the world are we going to get this core group” or “how am I going to communicate the vision that God has given me” or “what if I fail?”   But I guess this is part of the refinement that comes with being a church planter.  Sometimes I just wish that God could just download the service pack and skip the whole fear, doubt and trust that forces us to grow…but what fun would that be?!

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — A Wal-Mart shopper who became so angry about a crying child that he allegedly slapped the girl in the face is due in court Wednesday.  Investigators said the incident happened Monday at the Stone Mountain store on Rockbridge Road.

 A police report said the man, Roger Stephens, 61, of Stone Mountain, had warned the child’s mother, Sonya Mathews, that if she didn’t quiet down the child, he would do it for her.  According to the report, after the mother failed to quiet the girl, Stephens came up to them and slapped the child several times in the face.

 The report then quotes Stephens as saying, “See, I told you I would shut her up.”

Mathews then screamed at Stephens and called for security, the report said. Stephens was stopped by another shopper, according to the report.   The girl, identified in the report as Paige Mathews, 2, was not injured, but did suffer some redness in the face. She was treated at the scene and released, the report said.  Stephens was charged with cruelty with children in the first degree, which is a felony.

Bill Easum talking about one of my biggest pet peeves in church

Dan Bryan reading my mail about starting something from nothing

Brad Boyston gives us 10 reasons why the church planting movement in America is in trouble

Vacation.  That word used to bring such pleasure to me.  It evoked memories of fun, candy, rides, beaches and most of all, relaxation.  So, when we were planning our first official “family” vacation this year, all of those memories were in the forefront of my mind.  But, as I quickly found out, I might as well take the word “relaxation” out of my vocabulary for the next 18 or so years when it comes to vacation!

The new venacular for vacation goes like this: van packed to the ceiling with pack n plays, swings, toys and 3 fully packed suitcases of mostly baby clothes…2 to 3 days for the babies to adjust to their new setting which means sleepless nights and restless days…walking through blazing hot sand, dragging tons of stuff down to the beach only to leave 2 hours later because the babies have informed us it’s time to go…sitting down to read a book in the house but having to say “Carter, don’t eat that!” or “Jackson, why are you crying??” or “Paige, why didn’t you tell me I was walking around with puke all over my shirt all day?”!!

But you know what, now that we’re back, I CAN’T WAIT to do it next year!  Why?  Why in the world would I want to endure the torture of sleepless nights, crazy days and no relaxtion again?  Because I felt such pride when I sat and watched Carter build his very 1st sand castle and I saw the joy in his face when he played under the willow tree in our back yard and I got such a kick out of seeing my two boys in their hula skirts, celebrating their 1st luau.

Why did Paige and I endure the expense, effort and sacrifice of a “family vacation”?  Love.  If we can catch that glimpse of joy or that smile or that knowledge that they will remember this, it is all worth it!  I have to feel that is how God feels about us.  In creating human beings, God wanted someone to love as well as someone capable of returning that love, no matter how feebly.  Carter and Jackson’s efforts could not begin to compare to the effort that Paige and I put forth on this vacation, but their smiles and laughter far outweighed all the money we spent and the time we put into it.  I have a feeling God doesn’t need our great sacrifices or all the wonderful things we can “do for Him”…He longs for those moments when we truly let our guard down and just laugh and allow unadulterated joy to sweep over us as we enjoy the world He has created for us.  At those moments, I have to believe He is the proud, beaming father standing to the side, letting out a sigh of relief and thinking to Himself “it was all worth it!”

“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like “if you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked into the mirror every day and asked myself “If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know that something needs to change.

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important thing I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, because almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment of failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked…there is no reason not to follow your heart.”