Current Job —> New Job

For those who aren’t readers, I’ll help you out. Just read this next sentence and then move on.

I got a new job and will be leaving Agape North to work for The Williams Company within the next few days.

Ok for those of you who are still here, congratulations for probably succeeding in your Accelerated Reader program in your middle school. But here is the full story.

I love Agape North. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I was a client (and fan) LONG before I was ever an employee because I love the company. Agape is a rare company founded on providing a necessary service, but doing it with excellence, dignity, and charity. For those unfamiliar, Agape North is a custom apparel company that uses it’s business platform to employ people and give loads of money to all kinds of great causes locally and globally. I believe, to-date, Agape has given over 250,000 school uniforms to underserved schools in our city and around the world, built a school in Uganda, compound in Pakistan for children who’ve been liberated from human trafficking, and loads of local projects with The Avenue Community Church, Memphis Family Connection Center, Red Door Urban Community, and so much more.

As you could imagine, I loved my job.

So why the change? Why move on from Agape North then? Well, truthfully, there is only one reason and it’s fairly simple…IMPACT.

I tell people all the time, the reason I work for Agape is the impact that we make locally and globally in the lives of people who need it. I honestly could care less about t-shirts or polos or embroidered jackets. I care NOTHING about that. But I do care about the little girls enslaved in brick factories that Agape North is purchasing their freedoms. (Shamless plug: Reminder, when you purchase from Agape North, you’re helping Agape achieve these things! Call them today and order some stuff! lol)

Well…I was recently approached by a friend about what I was doing now, where I worked, and if I was open to a career change. His company had an open position and thought I’d be good at it. I really wan’t open to leaving Agape, per se, but was intrigued about this position he was talking about and why he thought I’d be good at it.

So, I listened.

After hearing him out, having a conversation with his boss, eventually going to an interview, and praying my butt off, I realized there was a big opportunity for IMPACT.

My wife and I love to give. I hope that doesn’t come across as self-serving but it’s the truth. Last I checked, we were giving away about 14% of our income, and we love that. It hasn’t always been easy. But we’d like to push it. It’s been a family goal of ours to be able to get to 25%. It sounds crazy, but I think it’s doable!

With this new career, with this new position, I will be able to hopefully bring in compensation to better provide for my growing household, but also help us reach that family goal. If I were able to grow our income and expand what our family can give, then I believe we can have a deeper IMPACT.

Agape North has grown over the years with how much they can give. It continues to be more and more every year. Well it’s now The Johnston’s turn.

I’m looking forward to working at The Williams Company! The company has been around for 50+ years and has really made a big splash in the food and beverage industry! The owner is a fascinating man who’s seen this industry’s ups and downs over the last 20-25 years, he’s a man of God, and from all my interactions, can tell that he wants to see his employees succeed.

I am thrilled for the next adventure that comes our way. I am excited to see how it all unfolds. Sure…it’s a little scary. But I have the best wife, the coolest kids, and an incredible God who is with me.

Agape North, Joe Williams, my team, THANK YOU! It’s been not only a joy, but a true honor to share in this work with you all. I know you will all continue to kill it!

The Williams Company, 2022, new adventures…I’m ready!

God, the Gospel, and Social Justice

Sorry I haven’t posted a blog in a long time. I sort of lost a passion to do so and got pretty busy with life. However, I’m back today! Am I here to stay? We’ll see how it goes. Maybe the 3 people that read my blogs will beg for more! haha (Hi mom!)

I have heard a lot chatter in the spaces I frequent over the topics of God, the gospel, social justice, and where it all fits together (if it does.) I’ve heard people from all spectrums weighing in on what Christians should/shouldn’t be doing in this area. I have to say, I’ve been encouraged a little. But to be honest, the feeling I’ve had more of is the feeling of discouragement.

So after much thought, praying, and reading, here are my gathered, very short, very succinct thoughts on the matter.

It has been said that God created both our souls and our bodies. I think we all agree here. It is my belief that the resurrection of Jesus shows the He is going to redeem both the spiritual and the material.

Therefore, God is concerned not only for the salvation of souls, but also for the relief of poverty, hunger, and injustice.

The gospel opens our eyes to the fact that all our wealth (even wealth for which we’ve worked hard) is ULTIMATELY an unmerited gift from God. Therefore, the person who does not generously give away his or her wealth to others is not merely lacking in compassion, but is perhaps…unjust.

We cannot look at the poor and the oppressed and callously call them to pull themselves up from their own difficulty. (even if they put themselves there) Jesus did not treat us that way. Praise God!

The gospel replaces superiority toward the poor with mercy and compassion. Christian churches must work toward justice and peace in their neighborhoods. We must serve others even as we call individuals to repentance. We must work for the eternal and common good and show our neighbors that we love them sacrificially, whether they believe as we do or not.

Indifference to the poor and disadvantaged, I believe, is evil and dangerous. It also, perhaps, shows that there has not been a true grasp of our salvation by sheer grace.

So, I don’t know where you stand on these topics. I don’t know where your heart is on these topics. But I beg you to pray, repent, beg God to get the gospel to the depths of your heart, and then let’s take that gospel to the ends of the earth; while all along pursing the redemption, the renewal, and the over-turning of social injustices.

If you want to talk more in depth on this, message me. I’d love to discuss more or pray with you!

Is your Jesus sad enough?

Happy Jesus
Fun Jesus.
Serious Jesus.
Angry Jesus.
Loving Jesus.
Frustrated Jesus.

Sad Jesus?

If you’re like me, it’s not hard to envision Jesus in the context of any of those adjectives except that last one.

Sad Jesus.

Yea, I can’t see it. I just closed my eyes and focused on sad Jesus and I didn’t see much. I saw a sad Jesus in the garden right before the cross and I saw a sad Jesus upon discovering our sin but a Jesus who is sad because we are sad?

Blurry.

That image is blurry. Funny thing is Its easy for me to somewhat comprehend that God is happy when his kids are happy but flip the scripts and I have a hard time believing God would or could ever be really be sad when his kids are sad.

Why? Because he already knows how the movie ends.

Ever watch a game after you already found out the final score? Better yet, ever watched a Golden State Warriors game this year? Geez they can’t lose #StephCurry. Anyways…if you HAVE ever watched a game you already knew the final score to, then you know that there’s no need to worry or get emotional when your team is down because you already know they will win.

See it’s not that I don’t think Jesus cares. It’s just that I don’t see why he’ll ever get sad when I’m sad when he already knows that whatever I’m sad about is going to work out.

If anything, I feel like based on his knowledge of the future, Jesus probably feels so frustrated that we’re wasting time being sad.

It’s like the story of Lazarus. Why in the world would Jesus cry with the mourners when he knew he was about to raise the guy from the dead?

Because he’s a good father.

Yes Jesus is happy when we are happy but if the story of Lazarus teaches us anything, it’s that when we’re sad, Jesus is also sad.

He’s sad when our dreams come to a screeching halt and we feel sad.
He’s sad when we feel left out, forgotten, and lonely.
He’s sad when we lose something or someone valuable and we feel sad.

Even though he knows the future.
Even though he knows it’ll all work out.
Even though he’s working it all out for our good.

So next time you feel sad, remember that you have a friend in Jesus who understands, engages and feels your pain.

 

**thoughts from me and my guy Sammy**

Welp…I got a new job!

Well, I was gunna wait to announce this later in May, but Gray Martin​ already spilled the internet beans.

Soooo….starting in June, I am transitioning OUT of the Sr. High Outreach Pastor position I am currently in at Grace Evan and moving INTO the College Pastor role at Grace Evan.

I am extremely excited! This will be new ministry at Grace Evan, so with God’s grace, A LOT of help, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we hope to build it from the ground up.

I hope that you would come along side me in praying for our me, our students, and these many transitions going on at Grace. May the Sovereign Lord go get his glory!

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us…” -Psalm 67:1

Why Jesus no longer brings us Minnie Mouse stuff.

This is a guest post from my guy Sammy. It's worth sharing. Enjoy.

Minnie suckers.
Minnie flip flops.
Minnie stickers.
Minnie candy.

Believe it or not, I’ve purchased everything on that list on my way home from work because my 2 year old is obsessed with Minnie Mouse. And, truth be told, suckers, flip flops and stickers are a lot cheaper than a trip to Disney world.

Also I absolutely LOVE how excited she gets when I walk in the door after a long day at work. I love how she smiles big, shuffles her feet in one place and then sprints towards me.

I love that she loves that I’m home and I love to reward that excitement with a surprise.

[Insert any gift that has to do with Minnie]

You get the picture.

Daddy home.
Eden happy.
Daddy gives Eden Minnie gift.

It’s a beautiful dance and I planned to tango for as long as I could, until Eden’s focus started to shift from me to Minnie.

You see, at first, the gifts I brought here were about me. Even though she was excited about what I brought her, it was more about the fact that “I” brought her something. I was the cake and my gift was the icing (so to speak).

But then I became the icing. She started to get more excited about the gift than she was about me being home. She started to look past me to what I had.

Instead of ‘daddy is home’, her first words become ‘you have Minnie gift for me’.

So yea, I slowed down on the gifts, not because the gifts were bad for her or because I don’t like giving her gifts, but because I don’t want her to miss me. I still throw it in every once in a while but I’m more careful and intentional about keeping her focus on me.

And as I do that, as I try to carefully guide my 2 year old to my heart and not my pocket, I’m reminded of how many times God has done the exact same thing for me.

For you.

And of course, like my two year old, we don’t get it do we? We don’t get why God doesn’t give us gifts all of the time. Or most of the time.

We don’t understand why he sometimes won’t give us something that we really love, something he helped us love.
Perhaps something he’s given us in the past.

It’s hard I know.

But as a dad, I get it.

Jesus doesn’t want us to trade his heart for his pocket.

He’s not an end to a means.
He’s not here so he can give us something else.
He’s here so he can give us himself.

Jesus wants to be the greatest gift we long for, because he is the greatest gift we could ever have.

And sometimes, he has to slow down on giving us what we want in other for us to see that he’s all we need.

Do you feel like there are some ‘gifts’ God might be holding back from you because he wants you to focus on him? Also, how can we tell when our hearts are focused on God’s gifts and not him?

I’m not good at being a guy.

Is God good or is He just really good at being good?

I grew up thinking that God was just really, really good at being good. You know, like Michael Jordan was really good at basketball. Yea, God was like the MJ of being good. The best. No one’s good could contend with his good.

But then 6 years ago I had a thought that changed everything…

‘God is not good at being good. God IS good’

Sounds like the same thing but there’s a HUGE difference.

It’s like saying to me ‘Brady, you’re so good at being a guy’.

No.

I’m not good at being a guy. I AM a guy. Literally, I am a male.

Big diff.

Being a guy is not something I do really well. Its also not something I’m skilled at. Its who I am.
In the same token, good is not something God does. Its also not something he’s skilled at. Its who he is.

God IS good.

Get it?

God.
IS.
Good.

I’ve heard a pastor say it this way, “God is good all the time because that is his nature.”

Job captures this in a profound way.

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”

Even in the darkest hour of his life [and by dark I mean he literally just lost everything including most of his family at the same time], Job praised God. Why?

Because God is good… no matter what.

Contrary to what we sometimes legitimately feel, seasons of life no matter how hard or difficult don’t change the nature of God.

God is always good like I’m always a guy. Job knew this.

God was good when Job had plenty and still good after Job lost everything. [Because that is his nature]
He was good when the world was perfect and good after the fall.
Good when Joseph rose to power and good when Josephs children spent 400 years in slavery.
Good when Jesus was born and good when Jesus died on the cross.
Good in life and good in death.

God IS good all the time.
All the time, God IS good.

I’ve experienced a lot of frustrations, difficulties, and trials in the last year. It stinks. Really stinks. But it is at times like these that I’m really glad that I’m not trusting a God that’s the MJ of being good.

I’m glad He IS good.

So, I’m not just leaning into him to do something good. I’m leaning into who he is. I’m hopeful for good to come out of this because he is the author of good. I wouldn’t even know what good is without him.

If God still exists then there’s always hope for good because He is good.

And oh is He SO good.

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His loving-kindness is everlasting (Psalms 107:1).

When is it hardest for you to believe that God is good in your life? Around the world?
Other honest thoughts/feelings on the idea of God being good all the time?

*thoughts from Sammy & myself*

Why saying “I watch porn” is sometimes easier than saying “I pray consistently”

You ever felt like admitting defeat is sometimes the only way to fit into a Christian community?

I have and I hate it. I do.

First of all let me say I believe when God envisioned your life, he pictured you in the context of community. Also, I’m convinced that you (and me too) will never reach your full potential isolated from community because community is and was always God’s plan.

Always.

Now having said that, I think it’s important for us to remember that community was never meant to be a rally around defeat and weakness alone.

We do a thing bi-weekly with my students called Fight Club where we talk and discuss what it looks like to fight sin and it has been one of the best/helpful/influential things in the lives of some of our young men. But I hope that we are guarding where we aren’t simply rallying around defeat alone.

Who knows… maybe this is just me and no one else feels this way but sometimes when I’m in community with Christians I feel like it’s easier to say “I suck” than it was to say “I’m killing it right now”.

Maybe I just didn’t want to appear prideful. Maybe I just don’t want the people to think I’m showing off. I don’t know. All I know is sometimes it feels easier to embrace defeat than celebrate victory in community.

Sometimes it’s easier to say “I’ve been an angry jerk to my wife.” than it is to say “Guys, I’ve been loving my wife lately as a husband”.

Why is that? Why is it easier to write a blog post about sucking than it is to write a post celebrating growth and fruit in my life?

Sounds crazy but I honestly think the enemy likes that.

I think he likes it when our group or community is defined by just defeat because even if we received encouragement from others in regards to our struggles, when we leave, we leave still believing deep down that we losers.

Or worse yet, we lose hope for change and getting better. Because after all if everybody in the group always sucks, always falls for temptation, always lusts, always loses then maybe that’s our lot.

Maybe that’s the point. Maybe the point of community is to know you’re not alone in being a loser.

Yea I’m not buying that. I’m not buying that at all.

Should there be space in community for us to admit weakness, struggles and losses? Absolutely, but lets not stop there.

Let’s not stop at admitting weakness. Let’s also celebrate strength. Let’s celebrate victories. Let’s display fruit. Let’s remind ourselves that we are not defined by what we do but by Jesus.

Let’s have the courage to look someone in the eye who struggles with something we struggle with and say…

“You know what, I was there. I was. I was there and God brought me out. He did. And if he brought me out, he can bring you out. He will bring you out”.

Or how about this..

“Guys, I just want you to know that God is using me in a big way. I’m better. I’m changing. I’m a new person and here’s why”

“But Brady they will think I’m showing off.”

Maybe. Maybe if that’s all you share. Maybe if you never air any dirty laundry.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, yes let’s keep airing dirty laundry in community but…

Let’s not be defined by our dirty laundry.
Let’s be defined by Jesus.
Let’s be defined by his continued work in our lives.

Let’s share loses, but let’s share victories even more.

Have a great week!!!

**thoughts by my guy Sammy and my own**

10 Jerkful Things to Say to the People You Love

Got someone in your life you really care about? Better yet, do you know someone God REALLY cares about?

Yea? Good. Please do me a favor.

Next time you see them, say one or more of these things to them. Or email, text or Facebook it. Same difference. As long as they know you mean it.

1. You will never ever change. You can try but we both know it won’t happen. Even if you make small strides, you’re doomed to fail.

2. You’re such a loser

3. Nobody likes you.

4. Jesus loves you because he loves everybody (doesn’t have a choice) but just so you know, he doesn’t really like you.

5. I’m sorry, but that last mistake erases all the progress you’ve made in the last year

6. You’ve messed up too many times for God to give you another chance. He’s given up on you.

7. You’ll always be the same person you were.

8. You’re not good enough.

9. If people knew what you know about you, they’d never talk to you.

10. You don’t deserve to be loved.

Hopefully about halfway through the list, you realized I was kidding. Of course you should NEVER say any of those things to anyone you love. Heck, you shouldn’t even say it to people you don’t love.

But you do don’t you?

You do.

You say a lot of those things to someone you love… someone God loves.

YOU.

Isn’t it crazy how we say things to ourselves that we would never say to others? Things we would never let others say about themselves?

Think about it.

What would you do if your friend, son, daughter, pastor or mom told you they’ll never be good enough.
Or that they were a loser? And that Jesus only loves them out of obligation but he doesn’t really like them?

My guess is you’d slap them over the head so hard so they’d wake up from their sleep, then you’d spend as long as it’s needed showing them why their conclusion about themselves isn’t true.

You would. 10 of 10 times you would do that and so would I.

But for some reason when it comes to ourselves we so easily believe the lies of the enemy. When our mind tells us we’re losers/unlovable etc, we just roll over and say yea sure. Then we throw ourselves a pity party. At least that’s what I do.

I throw a pity party and wonder why I’m bummed.

Here’s a clue Brady (and anyone else struggling with being a jerk to yourself)…

Believe the truth.
Embrace the gospel.
Fight the lies of the enemy.
Fight the lies you tell yourself.

I posted this quote by Spurgeon recently on my Facebook, but it just applies so well here. “Come boldly, O believer, for despite the whisperings of Satan and the doubtings of thine own heart, thou art greatly beloved.”

You are GREATLY beloved, whether you believe it or not. You are.

In a book I’m reading called Finally Free, Heath Lambert says this. [Warning, it’s a little blunt.]

“If God pronounces you forgiven and clean, you ARE forgiven and clean. While it may seem humble and modest to question God’s forgiveness, it is actually prideful and arrogant to refuse to believe what God declares to be true about you.”

Basically, quit calling God a liar, quit being ignorant and arrogant. And believe what Spurgeon says. “Thou are greatly beloved.”

Next time “you” shows up to tell “you” that “you’re” a loser, remind “you” that Jesus loves “you”.

He does.

Jesus loves you.

That’s always been true.
That is true.
That will always be true.

Jesus loves you.

**Thoughts from me and my guy Sammy.**

When God Stacks the Odds Against You

Team A: Hundreds & hundreds of thousands of skilled warriors.
Team B: 32,000 farmers.

It’s game day. Fight to the death.
Team A or Team B?
Place your bets.
Who you got?

I got team A 10 of 10 times.
God? He’s got team B.

But only on one condition. You send some of them home.
Enter Judges 6.

Gideon and his ragtag army of 32,000 men are about to face the big and mean too large to count Midianite army and God claims Gideon has too many men.

Too many men to face an army too large to count?
Yes.

Trim. Trim. Trim.

Gideon is down to 10,000 men.

And now?

Nope. Still too many men.

Trim. Trim. Trim.

300

Can you believe it? God insisted on trimming down the army until Gideon was only left with 300 men. And no this isn’t 300 Spartans with shiny 6 packs. Just 300 normal people with a scared and doubting leader.

Against a big and mean army that’s too large to count? Yea, doesn’t take an army general to figure out those odds are NOT good but that’s the point.

That was exactly the point.

Don’t know if you know this or not but God sometimes LOVES to stack the odds against you.

Against me. Against us.
You know why?

Because he loves to use people who know they are really going to need him. And because he wants all the glory from the victory.

The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ -Judges 7:2

Bill Hybels calls those “Only God” moments. The moments where God does things in ways that make it so obvious to everyone that ONLY he could have done it.

It’s funny because when the odds are stacked against me, I feel like God is far. I feel like God isn’t fighting for me.
That or I feel like the enemy is taking me out.

But what if it’s the other way around?

You’re 27 and still single?
There are 100 applicants for the job you want?
Your company meets in a basement?
Everyone who has ever done what you’re trying has failed?
You’re too old…?
Too young…?
Feeling like you’re taking 1 step forward and 3 backwards?

Could be bad luck. Or the enemy.

But what if that’s God? What if it isn’t the enemy? What if you’re experiencing a “Gideon moment?

What if God is the one staking the odds against you SO he can do what only he can do?

Because he wants to do what he wants to do in a way that the only plausible conclusion is that GOD did this.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment with your thoughts!

**Guest post from my guy Sammy**

No Man Is An Island

Been reading a ton about the church recently. Our church has been pushing the biblical idea of Life Together and so therefore we’ve been discussing/chatting about/and reading books and Scripture about God’s church.

So….with that, I’ve taken what I’ve learned and really stolen a popular cliche statement, “No man is an island.”

Recently, there has been some HUGE successes in my life. There are people coming to know the Lord, kids are growing in their relationship with the Lord, ministry is being built and established in the high schools in our area. I’m blown away and some of it has my name tagged to it, and I’m here to say that’s a shame.

In other words, I didn’t get here alone.

Obviously God has orchestrated it all and he alone should get the ultimate glory, but he used many people for me to be where I am today.

They all played a big part in getting me here.

They are all a part of this.

I’m not an island. I stand on the shoulders of so many incredible people who have invested and believed in me. I owe this temporary moment of success to God foremost, but also to them.

* God.
Really this list could start and end with this one. God has done it all. I’ve been amazed, blown away, tearfully joyful at the many things He’s done and been doing. He continues to be faithful when I’m faithless and He continues to remember me when I forget Him. I could ramble for the next month on this one, but i’ll keep it short at that. He’s the REAL MVP. He’s the winner. He gets the glory. But let me introduce you to some people he used.

* My mom.
I still don’t understand how God can create people the way he does. And there is NO ONE like my mother. My life has, for the most part, gone relatively smooth. And the reason that is, is because THIS woman has broken her back, her bank account, and probably her sanity in making that happen. She is the most selfless person that I’ve ever known, and there’s really no word to describe her except that she’s my hero. Seriously mom, I love you. And I can’t ever tell you that enough.

* Johnathan Todd.
Talk about a guy who loves people. Johnathan Todd legitimately loves and cares about people better than anyone I’ve seen. He goes out of his way to help, care for, and aid anyone; including a mid-20s kid who’s had some ridiculous things come across his plate. Seriously J-Todd, I don’t know if I get through this past year and a half without you and some of your conversations/wisdom.

* Landon Ditto.
He took a chance on me. I was a 23 year old idiot, but felt called to give my life away in ministry. He took a chance on me. And since then he has been an incredible boss. I’ve learned so much from him and don’t know of a better leader out there. Whenever the time comes and I leave this position one day, there are things from watching him that I will take with me, and some i’ll leave at the door. You should see this list. It’s a little one-sided. Seriously Landon, I can’t thank you enough for risking it on me, being an INCREDIBLE boss/mentor, and being an even better friend.

* Josiah Lawrence.
This guy is the reason I can probably even type this blog post. In college, my life was spiraling out of control. I was headed somewhere terrible, and one of those places was hell itself. I didn’t know Jesus, I thought I did, but I didn’t. It was through the faithfulness of this guy in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ that I won’t spend eternity in hell and I get to enjoy Jesus. If it weren’t for Josiah’s friendship and his obedient call to share his faith, I wouldn’t be who I am today. Not at all. Seriously Josiah, thank you for being an obedient brother and a constant encouragement. I seriously owe you everything, because you showed me everything; Jesus. Thanks.

This is not in any order and it’s not an exhaustive list. Truth be told, I could go on and on and on. So many people have stood in my corner and I’m thankful.

If you’ve been a big part of my life and you’re disappointed that you’re not on the list, just remember that neither are a lot of awesome people either so you’re in good company :).

No man is an island.

You’re not where you are today on your own. You didn’t get yourself here.

Somewhere along the way, someone believed in you or gave you a shot. Someone said yes. Someone trusted you. Someone loved you in-spite of you.

You need people. You do. So find a church, find friends, and do Life Together.

I guess that’s the point of this post. Yes I wanted to remember and acknowledge certain people but more than that, I wanted to get you thinking about those who been your cheer-leaders. I hope you never forget them. I won’t.