The Faughn Family of Four

The Calm Assurance

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Adam Faughn • 0 Comments

Yesterday, it happened again. It was the second time in the last month, and the–well, I’ve lost count–time since coming to Lebanon Road.

I was at the hospital when a family welcomed a new baby into the world. Sometimes, I have been in the waiting room when the child was brought into the world. At other times, I got there just a few hours later and was one of the first to see and (sometimes) hold the child. As a preacher, it’s one of the best perks of the job!

The couple yesterday was welcoming their first child. She is a big baby (8 pounds, 13 ounces), and is as healthy as she can be. Everyone is great, and the joy in the room was amazing.

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Then I jumped online and scanned the latest news. I hear of stories that make this world seem very scary.

Tim Tebow, under pressure from pro-homosexual groups, will not speak at a Baptist Church in Dallas. People of faith are feeling more and more constricted in speaking out against the sin of homosexuality.

Leon Panetta, US Defense Secretary, has asked the Pentagon to extend special benefits to homosexual couples who are living together. There does not seem to be any concern for either (1) homosexuality or (2) cohabitation.

As I type this, over 1100 babies have been aborted in our country…today alone.

Calling it a 19th Century law that is outdated, Colorado is trying to decriminalize adultery.

Our nation’s debt has topped $16.5trillion and continues to climb.

A middle-aged man right here in Nashville was charged with viewing child pornography…at the public library.

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Why would anyone want to bring a child into this world? The news is frightening. The morals are declining. Raising a child is staggeringly difficult.

But it has always been so.

Raising children is so hard, because we must face a world that calls evil “good” and good “evil.” Bringing a child into this world is a scary proposition, but it has always been that way, and will continue to be that way.

How come, then, when I go to the hospital and see these newborn babies, there is joy and happiness? The answer is found in a verse of a song.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby

And feel the pride and joy he gives.

But greater still the calm assurance,

This child can face uncertain days because He lives!

How true! Whatever the newspaper says. No matter what is on the evening news. No matter how frightening this world might become. This child can face those uncertain days because Jesus rose from the dead and is King of Kings.

Praise God for these children! May God bless these parents! And may we all help every parent raise children who hold the hand of the risen Jesus to face uncertain days with “calm assurance.”

COMMENTS? Leave your story of “calm assurance” in the comments below.

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Photo credit: Jason Pratt on Creative Commons

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Filed Under: Church Life, Family

A Tribute [Repost]

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Adam Faughn • 0 Comments

NOTE: This post originally appeared in 2009 on our blog. Our readership, thankfully, has grown a great deal since then, so I wanted to repost it leading up to Mother’s Day. My mom is not traveling to the Grand Canyon this week as she was in 2009, but other than that, I think this post is still timely. I hope you enjoy it! –Adam

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With this week leading up to Mother’s Day, there are all types of tributes to mothers on blogs and websites. My mom is getting to travel to the Grand Canyon (she should get to see it today) with dad and will be gone through next week. I’m thankful she (and he) is getting a well-deserved vacation.

However, many ladies go unnoticed on Mother’s Day. So, for you ladies…

1. Here’s a tribute to young ladies who are growing in faith to the Lord. Young ladies in our world are rare. There are plenty of girls, but few ladies. I’m so proud of young ladies who serve and put God first, whether at school, in the home, or anywhere else they go. While they aren’t mothers yet, if God blesses them with children one day, they are going to be fantastic mothers!

2. Here’s a tribute to single ladies who have decided not to marry or are waiting to do so. I’m sorry that our society tries to “find you a match” from middle school on. You have a right to wait and find the man God has in mind for you. You also have a right to never marry and use your life in total service to the Lord. In the “church world,” singles are often left out. Please know that you and your talents are vital pieces of the congregation where you serve. You have time and energy that can greatly influence the world for good.

3. Here’s a tribute to married ladies who have yet to have children. We used to celebrate “wife’s day” on Mother’s Day because Leah is that special. While you may not have children, you are still of supreme importance! You provide talents and information to the church and to your home that are unmatched. Love your husband and support him. Don’t think about what you don’t have; enjoy what you do have.

4. Here’s a tribute those told you will never have children. Some simply aren’t able to conceive. While that greatly hurts, don’t dwell on it. Having children is NOT what makes you a woman! Your Godly service and loyal life are what make you a lady, and that’s what matters. If you never have children but love them, find a way to serve children lovingly and steer them toward heaven. Help with summer camps and Bible school programs. Always volunteer for Vacation Bible Schools or mission trips to help children.

5. Here’s a tribute to moms who have lost children. You may not have your child anymore, but you are still “mom.” Whether you lost that treasure in the womb or after many years of his or her life, you gave so much of yourself to him or her. Those of us who say we understand are not telling the truth. We don’t know what it’s like, but we pray for you and hope you know we’re here for you. Honor his or her memory by helping a child today, and be proud of the “mommy-ing” you did on Mother’s Day.

6. Here’s a tribute to moms separated from children. Maybe you are at fault for the separation, or maybe it was just a strange set of circumstances. While you may not have the level of influence over that child you used to, you can still pray for him or her. Do whatever you can to bring that child closer to the Lord. Bring his or her name constantly before God’s throne.

7. Finally, here’s a tribute to those who are moms…who have lost their mothers. You lost your mentor in motherhood. You are still raising children (or have grown children you still love and cherish), but your model is no longer here. Honor that loving mother by loving your children. Follow the good examples she left, and learn from her mistakes.

Mother’s Day is so special, but I’m thankful for all Christian ladies. You have so much to give, and we pray for your insight, service, and talent. Thank you for all you do.

Happy…LADIES…Day!

Filed Under: Family

10 Ways to Get More Done…Without Working 24 Hours Per Day

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Adam Faughn • 3 Comments

I am amazed at how some people get so much done during the course of a day or a week. Others say the same thing to me. Yes, I get quite a few things accomplished each week, but I am nowhere near an “expert” on it.

However, I have learned a few simple things that help me get more done, and still have time for family and fun. In other words, you don’t have to work 24/7/365, but you can still get things done. These are not earth-shattering, but they work for me. Maybe they (or a variation of them) will work for you.

1. Hit the Ground Running. I get to my office and work for 20-30 minutes with no distractions. In that time, I am usually able to do a few tasks that have been on my mind that morning. Only after that time is done do I go in and check my mailbox and talk with our secretary. A lot of folks come in and visit with everyone, then wonder where the morning went!

2. Work in “Chunks” of Time that are Good for You. I have learned that I work well for about 30 minutes stretches. I can work longer (and at times I work much longer periods), but my brain usually starts to tire after about 30 minutes of study, reading, writing, and outlining. What I have learned, though, is that, for those 30 minutes, I can basically go “all out.” Then….

3. Learn to Take Useful Breaks. For me, this involves a couple of things. One “break” is to get a drink of water and get out of my office for a couple of minutes. Another is to just walk around for a couple of minutes, then come back and answer emails or do other simple tasks. Breaks are important, but should not dominate your time! Learn to take short breaks, but ones that help you work better when they are over.

4. Do Hard Things First. I love studying and writing sermons, but it is harder for me to do than other parts of my job (reading, making phone calls, visiting, etc.). So, I do it first. I nearly always do most of my sermon preparation in the morning (unless I need to continue on into the afternoon). Many people do easy things first, and then have no mental energy left to do things that are harder. Get those harder things done first. And, remember, what is “hard” for you may not be for others.

5. Go Out of Routine Sometimes. I am a firm believer in routines, and I work far better when I follow the same basic structure for my day and week. However, I have also noticed that it is good for me to have my schedule blown up sometimes (but not too often!). It causes me to rethink how I work and it helps me focus more sharply on what needs to be done. Often this will be done for you (sickness, death in a family, a speaking engagement, etc.), but you may need to “schedule” a “schedule blow up!”

6. Find Hobbies that Help Your Job. For me, that is obviously reading and listening to podcasts. I love to read, but I also try to read more books that are associated with the Bible than books that are not. One reason is that I love reading those volumes is that I just like learning about the Bible and related matters. Another reason, though, is that it helps me in my work. The same is true of many of the podcasts I listen to. Having my mind focused on matters of religion helps me as I study and focus on a text or topic for a sermon or Bible class.

7. If You are Struggling to Get One Thing Done, Do Something Else. How often do we get “stuck” on a project (in my line of work, a sermon or bulletin article) and just sit there, hoping some great thought will finally come to us. It is amazing how much time we can waste just waiting for some amazing thought to come to us. Move on to something else. For me, that often means working on a different part of a sermon, or doing some “general” study, or working on a Bible class for awhile, or making a visit or phone call. Often, when I change my focus for a few minutes, my mind is then able to focus on what I need to get done. After all, don’t we all say, “There’s always something to do”? Then use that to your advantage.

8. Start Now! That old thing you were told in high school and college continues to be true. Procrastination kills productivity. You don’t have to complete a project months ahead of time, but it is good if you can see progress over several weeks or even months.

9. Cut or Delegate Where Possible. Do you do things that are not part of your job description? Why? The Lord set up the Church with elders to oversee, but also put deacons in place to carry out various works and projects. That is a good outline for our working lives. If it isn’t being productive, don’t do it. Or, if you aren’t qualified or competent in a certain area, delegate it if at all possible. This does more than frees you up in time. It will also free up your mind to stay more focused on your primary task.

10. Go home. No, I’m not saying to steal from your employer or to break your contract. What I am saying is that we far too often work extra hours (and even days) for which we really are not paid, while our family is at home waiting on us to come home. Why are we cheating our family? Go home! That project will still be there tomorrow, or after the weekend. Which would you rather be your legacy: “He worked long hours?” or “He was there for his family.” And, trust me, when you go home and spend that quality time with your family and enjoying your hobbies, your mind will be more ready to face the next day at work.

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What would you add?

Filed Under: Uncategorized

“What’s the Point?”

Posted on October 19, 2010 by Adam Faughn • 3 Comments

Have you ever had a moment when you asked that question of total confusion? You may have just thrown your hands up in the air and said (silently or very vocally), “What’s the point?”

We often think that question, and we do so at various times in our lives. Maybe your marriage is shaky, and your spouse is even showing signs of “tuning out” of the relationship. Maybe your ideas are not taken seriously in planning sessions at your job. Maybe you feel “stuck” in a career that isn’t giving you the type of fulfillment you thought it might. Maybe you are fighting to get out of debt, only to have yet another setback in the process.

“What’s the point?”

May I suggest that Jesus gave us “the point?” It is found in a verse that I use as much as any other in sermons. The folks at Lebanon Road probably get tired of hearing the verse, but I think it gives us “the point” of just about all we do here on the earth as week to follow Christ.

He stated, “Let your light so shine before other people that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

That’s it! That’s the point!

That’s why you need to continue to seek out the best for your marriage. Others will see your effort to have a solid, Godly home.
That’s why you need to continue to share ideas at your work (or in your congregation). Others will see your enthusiasm and will know that you are striving to work hard.
That’s why you need to continue to be joyful on the job. Others will see your encouraging attitude and will wonder how you can be so glad to work at that place, in that position.
That’s why you need to continue to gain control over your finances. Can you imagine the glory you can bring to God when you have no debt in your life?

On and on we could go. Just when you get to that intersection in life when you throw up your hands and ask, “What’s the point?” make sure you read and reflect on Matthew 5:16.

And may God truly get the glory as you press on, even in times that are trying.

Filed Under: Church Life

Reviews and More Reviews

Posted on July 12, 2010 by Adam Faughn • 1 Comment

It has been some time since I reviewed books. I have finished six in that time, so get ready for quick reviews of these volumes.

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Come On, People

Bill Cosby & Alvin F. Poussaint

Thomas Nelson, 2007 (265 pages)

This was a very odd book for me to read, but I love Cosby. I picked this book up from a sale rack for just $5 and, while the message of the volume may not be directed to me, I found several good things in it.

Come On, People is a book that comes from Cosby and Poussaint’s travels around America, in which they interview African-American leaders and citizens in the hopes of seeing what can be done to help their people rise up. The subtitle to the book, On the Path from Victims to Victors, shares the hope the book seeks to instill.

If you have seen Bill Cosby in the last couple of years, you know that this type of work is his passion. He wants the people of his ethnicity to see that there is a better and less violent way to “make it” than the one often portrayed in the media and music.

I found the book to be an eye-opener, and it had some good parts to it. I was disappointed, however, that the authors felt it necessary to throw in several curse words to “nail down” a point. As a Christian, this turned me off to those parts of the book.

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If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat

John Ortberg

Zondervan, 2001 (228 pages)

This was a book I heard a lot about after its release in 2001, but I just never had a copy of it until now. The title of the book is the message of the book. Ortberg, who works at Willow Creek, uses the account of Peter trying to walk on the water, to teach the reader lessons about stepping out in faith.

This book is very simple to read and is filled with many illustrations, each one very well-chosen. My only complaint about the volume is that it is almost too easy. You can get much of the information from the title of the book! While I don’t like books that “chase rabbits,” Ortberg’s volume almost goes to the other extreme. There is one central message, and he never strays. The book, several times, became quite redundant to me.

I was refreshed by the message of the book, though, and I liked how the author pointed out several “minor” details in the story of Peter and Jesus, painting several helpful lessons from those points. If you like devotional-level books, you’ll find this one encouraging.

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Successful Christian Parenting

John MacArther

Word Publishing, 1998 (243 pages)

Leah and I read this book together for our devotionals, as we felt we needed to read some good parenting material. If you know me much at all, you know that I read a lot by John MacArthur (see the 5th review in this list!) and I also listen to his podcast. Seeing how he is a Calvinist, I don’t agree with all his teachings, but I like his style.

That being said, Leah and I were both disappointed with this book. About the first 1/3 of the book was spent trying to convince the reader that children are born bearing the sin of Adam and that our job as parents is to realize that depravity. I knew MacArthur believed that false doctrine, but I found it “over the top” that a huge portion of the book was spent–for the most part–on that one topic.

Once we made it through that part of the book, there was some good, though. Once the author got to the “practical” side of the volume, his emphasis on Scripture shone through. Leah and I were able to get some insight in the chapters that exposited Ephesians 5 and 6.

If you have a large parenting library and just “have to have” another book, I would add this one. If you are starting such a library, I would avoid this one.

[NOTE: The same book is available in paperback, but has another title. It is called What the Bible Says about Parenting and was published in 2000.]

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Jesus: The Greatest Life of All

Charles R. Swindoll

Thomas Nelson, 2008 (308 pages)

The ninth and (by the author’s admission) final volume in the “Great Lives from God’s Word” series, Jesus is Swindoll’s attempt to sum up the biography of the central figure of all history. I have now read all 9 volumes in Swindoll’s series. Having read the previous 8, I was excited to read this book, since it is about Jesus. Sadly, I found this book to be average in the series, at best.

The one problem with this book, in my opinion, is that there is no way, in just 300 pages or so, to exposit the life of Christ. I know that’s not Swindoll’s purpose, but that is his strength. He is wonderful at taking a passage and wringing the meaning out of it through word studies and illustrations. When covering such a vast amount of material as the four accounts of the life of Christ, there is no way for that talent of Swindoll’s to truly be used.

As I read this book, I was obviously touched, since Jesus’ life is the greatest. However, I felt like Swindoll just picked a few selected stories and left out others that were just as vital to the overall story of Jesus. He even spends one entire chapter dealing with Jesus statement, “I will give you rest,” but rarely mentions that quotation; choosing rather just to talk about how we need to rest. Lost opportunity, if you ask me!

Divided into four major sections, section 3 is the strongest. It deals with the crucifixion, and Swindoll is able to bring out a lot of good material concerning that event.

Though I was slightly disappointed overall with the book, I would still recommend it. The life of Jesus is always worth our study, and this book, though weak in many areas, will bring helpful information to your study.

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The Truth War

John MacArthur

Thomas Nelson, 2007 (224 pages)

I read this book in 2009 and reviewed it, but I felt like I had rushed through it a little more than I should have, so I decided to read through it again and do a very brief review.

MacArthur, using the epistle of Jude as his background, seeks to show how the ideas of postmodern thought are invading Christianity and how it must be stopped. This book, while it chases a few rabbits, is helpful for those who want to know just some of what is really going on in movements such as the Emerging Church, and the reader will find encouragement to fight for Truth.

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Dave Barry’s Book of Bad Songs

Dave Barry

Andrew McMeel Publishing, 1997 (94 pages)

Yes, I needed a laugh! I like Barry. I like rock and roll. I like to laugh. This little book is the perfect combination of those three.

I have read this book several times in the past, but I pulled it back out to read for a good laugh. It never fails to deliver!

Filed Under: Books

Tag Archives: Family

The Calm Assurance

COMMENTS? Leave your story of “calm assurance” in the comments below.

A Tribute [Repost]

10 Ways to Get More Done…Without Working 24 Hours Per Day

“What’s the Point?”

Reviews and More Reviews