A boy crouches in the corner of a thatched hovel.  His feet are bloodied from traveling with no shoes and his clothes are in rags.  His eyes, full of pleading, fear and sorrow, dart from side to side, uncertain.  He has nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  No family, no friends, no teachers, no caretakers…  He feels alone, abandoned, forsaken.  Who controls this boy’s destiny?  Who holds the strings to his marionette figure?  He isn’t sure.  He feels interminably alone… but he isn’t.

A little dark-skinned girl stands before her towering mistress. “Curtsey, I say!” Mistress screams. “Curtsey, you stupid girl!”  The girl, though frightened, stares boldly at the woman who represents all her hates: her dreams wasted and family lost.  She gains naught but a cruel smack on the cheek.  Who controls this girl’s destiny?  Who decides the plot of her life?  Hate swims around her head, living day to day without love.

A thin girl gazes at her reflection in the mirror, unsatisfied.  She reaches up to stroke her hair, plastered to her head in an elaborate bun, and adjusts her jeans which are a few sizes too large.  What is wrong with me? What makes me so ugly and fat?  She walks out the door of her home, leaving her breakfast and already prepared lunch behind.  Who controls this girl’s destiny?  Who will bring her to see the beauty in herself?  She skips meals, but all she’s truly doing is starving herself.

A man rocks back and forth on his bed, face buried in his hands.  Why is she doing this to me?  And the kids?  He looks up, tears streaming down his face which is creased with worry and deep sorrow.  Through his eyes, the world he knew as home is falling to pieces around him.  Who controls this man’s destiny?  Who will show him that there is still joy in the world?  He feels as though life itself has turned against him.

The impoverished boy, the slave girl, the anorexic teen and the divorced man may seem utterly hopeless, but God – The King of Kings, Prince of Peace and Lion of Judah – holds their destinies.  And even though they feel abandoned, unwanted or unloved, God is eternally with them, revealing his great love to them.  He has a plan for their futures.   With God in command, these unhappy individuals will find joy and peace at heart.

Destiny cannot be altered.  It’s the path of  life.  Relinquish control and give it to the One who looks out for best interests and has everything planned out.  The key is to trust and believe.

“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”  – Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message)

Abby Dortch
JrVibe Member

I honor mothers near and wide,
Those departed or by our side.
Moms’ voices in our hearts we hear,
The wisdom taught us, is oh so dear.
Moms encourage us to be strong,
We lead with faith and carry on.
You are there when an infant cries,
Your prayers of healing touch the skies!
Moms take us under their wings,
Even broken ones who cannot sing,
Mistakes we made, there is no doubt,
We trust God to turn this about.
You give us love, hope and cheer.
You reached inside and calm our fear.
Mothers know how to divide our sorrow,
And make us strong to face tomorrow.
Some Moms lost children and are in pain,
But rest assured you’ll see them again.
There are Single Moms who wear many hats
And adopted Moms who bridge the gap.
Moms are an amazing joy to all!
It is your approving gaze that we enthrall.
A Mom’s calling is mighty indeed
For they lay the foundation for all in need.
To hear your voice, just one more time,
Or see your face walk thru that door.
I would say to you I know you did your best.
I humbly give you to God’s rest.

Kelly McDermott

Authority. We want it, right? It’s at the very fabric of our DNA. We want to have authority over something, someone. We strive for the respect that is derived from being in an authoritative role. Part of the great chase that exists in culture today centers on our drive to reach a level of accomplishment that brings about respect, wealth and authority.

Think about it. If you were going to see a physician about a condition that had been hampering you for weeks, you’d look for a leading authority on the condition to improve your chances of being healed.

In the military, officers rise up to an authoritative level in order to lead their men. Imagine a military where there is no commander, no figure appointed to head things up with authority. It would look like the Iraqi Elite Forces during the Gulf War.

Let’s bring this closer to home. Are you a parent? Parents immediately inherit a level of authority as they raise their children. They spend years teaching their child to respect authority, to listen to it, to obey it (many times to a fault). But how many relationships have had at least one heated discussion centered on one parent contradicting the other, thereby eroding the authoritative role that had been worked on and developed for days, weeks, months or even years?

Now, go to work. You’re boss sends you to a meeting to represent your area, division or operations group. The meeting is full of tension, with ownership and action items floating back and forth between groups. You leave the meeting feeling that you gained a tremendous amount of respect and forthcoming kudos for how you stood firm and took what was beneficial while pushing away things that your team didn’t want to own.

Crash! You find out the next day that your manager undid all that you fought for. You’re called into the office and told that you didn’t have the authority to make those decisions and that you were out of line. You walk out of the office feeling that you just have to do as you’re told because you don’t have the authority, or the trust or the tools to represent your team.

Uh-oh. Is that how you feel when you try to talk about Jesus?

The “Great Commission” is found in Matthew. In the scriptures we usually read (Matthew 28:19-20), Jesus tells his disciples to “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” It’s the whole Go On Out There and Tell People About Me bit that you’ve been quoted too many times to remember.

I think that is awesome. Unfortunately, I don’t think we pay enough attention to the verse that precedes it. Matthew 28:18 reads: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Why do I think that verse is so important? Because in it, Jesus gives the disciples the authority to go out there and talk to people. To talk to them. To pray with them. To counsel them. To cry with them. To love them. To not doubt what they can do.

Jesus gave them authority, straight from God himself, to love people.

So where did we miss that part? We like to talk about going out and making disciples. But many times when we get the chance, when the moment is right, we shy away. We walk away. “I’m not the one for that job,” is often the line that we use. Or “I don’t know how to handle that one.” Or “That is a big problem and I am so inexperienced.”

But what I love about it is that verse 18 is telling us (and telling the disciples at the time who were full of doubt) that we have the authority to do it because God gave it to us. It’s not coming in our own power or approach. It is divine. It is God-inspired. It is truth. And we have to be able to trust and know that with the authority comes the blessing of the words that spill forth from our mouth.

We can’t mess it up. No matter what we do, God is behind it and his backing is there. He’s not the boss who won’t have your back. He’s not the parent that changes the pre-established rules of the family. He is not a double-crosser. If Jesus Christ Himself tells you that He is giving you the authority to represent Him in loving on and changing people’s lives, then I encourage you to let that soak in.

You cannot fail when you’re granted the full authority of Christ. Did you read that? Do you believe that? Just go for it, God will do the rest.

So no matter your past, your experiences, your failures, your fear, your pre-conceived notions about Jesus. No matter your human weakness, your human condition, your human vision for the future or your finite human view – what you say and do for Jesus is powerful, redeeming and will work for good.

He promised it. So before you go to the nations. Before you go to school. Before you go to work. Before you go to get coffee. Before you go to your kid’s practice. Before, before, before.

Know that he has gone before you. The words that come out of your mouth are blessed. The words that come from your lips are anointed. The message that you share from your heart cannot fail because God has authorized them.

Matt Dortch
Trinity Member
matthewdortch.com

Can I comfort You with what I say?
Your heart is more gracious than we portray.
I don’t want to ask you to come.
You’re fully mine and fully inside.
Don’t question your heart’s desire.
Can I comfort You with my words?
With my declaration of love and adoration declaring, “I am only Yours?”
In a world so broken, I can only imagine what you see.
I know you’re sovereign, I know you’re strong, but in this world…what breaks your heart?
The orphan, the widow, the lost, the poor, the hungry,
sex slavery, pornography, murder, suicide, loneliness?
Can I comfort you with my words?
YES!
I’m fully Yours. In a humble way I console you with what I say.
Can I be your escape?
Come and dwell in the life You have given me.
In this moment that lasts for eternity.
You’re more gracious than we think.
You came to live in me.
This breath I breath, we breath as one.
This life I live, I live through the Son.
A perfect sacrifice once and for all, made a way for me to not have to call.
I never have to ask You to come.
You and I are all in one.
No more trying to conjure up something that is already there.
You are in all and through all.
The very thing that holds all creation together is Your Word.
You’re more gracious than we portrayed.
Never again will I live separate.
A veil torn and a loved adorned.
I comfort You with my words.

Domonique Zamora

How do you assess, measure and test the righteousness and character of a Christian, a minister and or a ministry? Some look at their ministry gifts – are they anointed teachers and preachers, are they prayer warriors and do signs, do wonders and miracles exist in their lives? Are they prophetic? Are they able to gather people, grow in numbers, inspire people, incite people to take action? How well do they know the bible? Some look to see if favor exists through a measure of success that is most often measured in worldly terms such as money, size of following or professional advancement. In the lives of children are they successful academically, socially or athletically?

What God says to observe and measure regarding the effective Christian life or ministry is the fruit in the life or ministry.  Galatians 5 provides the questions to ask in assessing the fruit in the life of a person or ministry.

Does this person have a greater love and concern for others than they have for themselves?

Does this person radiate a contagious joy that others experience and feel?

Does this person have a tranquil peace when life’s events do not go the way they anticipated?

Does this person show a steadfastness/unwavering nature in the midst of long suffering, betrayal or deep disappointment?

Does this person display gentleness with others who appear weaker, less fortunate or less capable?

Does this person have a prevailing goodness that seeks the well-being of others over their own well-being?

Does this person have a faith in the unseen and the “not yet, but future” purposes of God?

Does this person exude a meekness, softness, gentleness evidenced by how they handle others when they disagree with them?

Does this person display a temperance, self-control and mastery over their passions and desires?

If you are like me, after reading these questions, you will sense God speaking about areas where you can improve and be more fruitful.  Join me in humbly asking God to grow and refine our character so that together we may grow in fruitfulness and effectiveness to fulfill our destinies.

Kelly McDermott

Sam and I became linked into small groups almost immediately upon joining the church. I grew up in the church, and attended small groups, and Sam has always been a fan of getting to know people, and was open to the idea as well. That was almost 10 years ago. The small group that we are a part of now, Marriage Fight Club, has direct ties to that very first small group. This group of people have wept with us, yelled with and at us, laid hands on us, in general, walked life with us. We have tried unsuccessfully for over 7 years to have a family. MFC has been there through the infertility treatments, a failed private adoption, and are now walking through a very long and hard adoption through the state. It is ONLY through these trials, and the faithfulness of the members of this group, that we truly understand that family is, in NO way, limited to biology. How artfully God constructed His church, mending those broken hearts, so that we may not want for the family that we may have otherwise been lacking. Sam is no longer an only child, just as, never having birthed a child of our own, we are no longer waiting for a son.

Psalm 68:5-6 – A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families.  

As is always the case, He knew exactly what we would need, before we needed it. 10 years ago, we never would have imagined that our plans to have a family would lead us to this place. MFC is an answer to the prayers that we had not yet uttered, and was His perfect plan to carry us through what was to come.

Kerri Hupp
Trinity Member

The SoupMobile is an organization that strives to feed and shelter the homeless here in Dallas.  At Christmas time, the SoupMobile has a “Celebrate Jesus Christmas Extravaganza” where people fill decorated shoe boxes with items that will make living on the streets a little easier for the homeless.  Our small group, Let’s Grow Together – Dallas, participated by gathering items like Bibles, food, and toiletries and then having a huge wrapping party to fill almost 50 shoe boxes!  We wrote hand-written cards to include in each box sending blessings, prayers, and love from Trinity Church Dallas!

Allison Hoeinghaus
Trinity Member

Being involved in small groups for the last 14 years at Trinity (since September 1999) means that I have been on the giving and receiving end of much care and support through various life changes. I was launched into courtship and marriage by my single women’s small group. They provided accountability and unconditional love as I became a girlfriend and, eventually, a wife.

My marriage small group, which became Marriage Fight Club of today, has provided incalculable emotional strength to our family. As we became parents and entered that shaky territory of raising another human being, they were there for us. I remember a meal and hugs arriving the night we found out my husband was out of a job. And the supportive phone calls and late night visits as we learned how to humble ourselves and walk in community through hard circumstances in our marriage. Tears well up when I remember a former small group member gathering the troops to clean our house – even mow and trim trees – while we experienced an early miscarriage when we were on summer vacation in 2009.

And then in the summer of 2011 when we received the awful news that our son had no heartbeat inside my womb, our small group and spiritual family surrounded us in prayer and in word and in deed. Tears now flow, as I recall their visits and prayers in the delivery room and the time they spent to arrange and attend a memorial service to honor a soul they never met. Through that horrific, life-changing, never-wish-on-anyone experience, we saw God’s care and provision through spiritual family: a solid month of meals provided for us, a memorial stone and tree to plant in Samuel Dax’s honor, the creation of a memorial fund at Trinity to send kids to camp or help with Vacation Bible School, and just listening to my sobs as I tried to make sense of a senseless situation. Spiritual family was here for me in my darkest hours – when I called and said I could not know how his could be God’s plan for us, someone was at my side with comfort without delay. Financial help, cards, and even hugs that seemed to transcend time and space… When I felt arms around my back as I wept and I heard unintelligible prayers, I was covered… though I never knew the giver. And even over a year later, when flowers arrived from a homegroup member to say that our pain, our son and our love was not forgotten. He is remembered. And we are loved extravagantly by family that has no blood in common but the blood of Christ.

Cindy Walsworth
Trinity Member

Your spiritual family is bigger than your physical family. Your spiritual family will profoundly shape who you are and what you become.  You should make a note of who is in your spiritual family tree.

If you suddenly had something happen to you that was extraordinarily good, so good that it was too good to be true, who are the first 5 people that you would call that would share your happiness without any jealousy or resentment?

If you have something that is difficult to deal with, something that affects your career, your reputation, your sense of security who would you reach out to?  Who knows you well enough and who do you trust enough with your confidence that you can share your heart?  Who do you gravitate towards when you don’t feel safe? Who is an anchor for you?

Where do you go for inspiration? Who is it that you look to when your spirit is low, when cynicism is rising in your soul? Who is it that makes you want to be better, more noble? Where do you go to get lifted up towards righteousness?

Who knows you, sees the best in you and believes in you? Who gave you a vision of what it is that you would eventually grow into? Who gave you the key that unlocked the door?

These are your spiritual people. They have nursed you and built you up. They are your fan club.  They will join their prayers to yours and hope the best for you. These are your people and a few of them are also related to you.

The spiritual genius of the early Christians was the recognition that we need to become part of a New Community if we have any hope of becoming a New People. Acts tells us that when the Spirit fell fully on early Christians, the first thing that manifested itself was a New Community. We are not in this alone! As a member of this body we need each other.

At the end of the day, God and people are what are most important. It is the quality of our interior life, which is shaped by the quality of the people we do life with that makes a difference.  It is my deepest hope that you will find the blessing in being part of our spiritual family and be that blessing to someone else. You are loved and wanted and together we are better.

Kelly McDermott

It’s not something that many consider a testimony or a specific event that might astonish them. In fact, it may be quite challenging to hear if we’re intentional about avoiding the dreaded “A” word: accountability. So I’m not sure if my thoughts will qualify as encouragement in the eyes of all, but the concept is certainly biblical – and I’ve found that concept to be alive and well amongst the band of brothers who gather and lock shields at Denny’s. The no holds barred, real conversation has challenged me to grow in many ways, and I’m still finding more. Despite my initial fears of being open in a public place, I have seen God use the unashamed transparency of these men to encourage me to overcome and keep growing. I don’t know what I would do without the strong men God has brought into my life through this group. Lifelong brotherhood established, constant encouragement, restoration and strengthening truth for moments of weakness, and hearty meat for Spiritual nourishment and growth. I couldn’t recommend it any more highly.

Brian Brown
Trinity Member