I’ve been thinking about how similar today is to the lives of those throughout Scripture. They were going about their lives in pursuit of what they thought was important—until God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit abruptly allowed interruptions. One of my mentors told me once that I’d never make a real difference in anyone’s life—or grow in Christ myself—until I learned to be interrupted.

I meet with the Lord at 5:00 every morning, and I pray for many by name. One of my prayers is that God will send me “holy interruptions” throughout the day. He will do it. The season of Easter is a good time to allow God to put people in our lives who desperately need Him. I want to encourage you not to waste the interruptions. Try even not to be aggravated by them, but to embrace them as a part of God’s plan for your life. I’ve learned that so deeply over the past couple of years. Personally, I’m realizing I was often putting my family last, rushing through Bible study, neglecting time with my friends—and I can’t remember the last time I really stopped, really listened to someone who could help me be a better follower of Christ.

God has given us a wonderful RAD opportunity right now in our congregation’s new birth. A RAD is a process I’ve used for many years. It simply means: Reflect, Adjust, Do. Don’t miss what God may be trying to RAD in your life through this time.

Jesus had some pretty difficult interruptions. It called Him to reflect. He modeled it well. John the Baptist was beheaded in Mark chapter 6. After they buried John, He looked at the disciples and said:

31 “Come by yourselves privately to some lonely place, and rest for a while.”

Be open to interruptions. Take the opportunity to Reflect, Adjust, Do, and then Rest. God is with us. He knows what He’s doing, and His plans are perfect. Trust God like you never have before.

I love you all!
~James

“I’ve spent most of my life walking under that hovering cloud—jealousy—whose acid raindrops blurred my vision and burned holes in my heart.”
~Astrid Alauda

Envy is a sin that grows in the background of another’s preeminence. The seed of envy is the fruit of another person’s accomplishments. It is the dread that the success of others will rise above our own.

This is exactly what Saul saw in his new rival, David. In 1 Samuel 18:30, it says, “…And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed.” David was a man who acted with prudence and caution—and as a result, he prospered.

“Base envy withers at another’s joy, and hates the excellence it cannot reach.” (Thomson)

When David prospered, it only angered Saul more. Dwight L. Moody once told a fable about an eagle who was envious of another eagle that could fly higher. One day, the envious bird saw a sportsman with a bow and arrow and said, “I wish you would bring down that eagle up there.” The man replied that he could, but only if he had some feathers for his arrow.

So, the jealous eagle pulled one out of his own wing. The man fired—but the arrow didn’t reach, the other eagle was too high. The jealous eagle pulled another feather, then another—until he had lost so many that he himself couldn’t fly. The archer took advantage of the moment, turned, and killed the helpless bird.

Moody’s point? If you’re envious of others, the one you’ll hurt most is yourself.

This was true of the Jews who delivered up Christ to be crucified. It was true of Saul, who spent his life trying to destroy David. And it’s true today—envy is still a thief of joy and peace.

Instead, we must cultivate the kind of mindset Paul describes in Romans 12:16–18:

“Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men and women.”

Let’s be real—and be happy for the blessings of others. The circumstances don’t matter. Bless them.

~James

Dear Reader, 

I’ve been thinking a lot about what truly matters—and how easy it is to take those very things for granted. My family is my most precious gift, yet sometimes, they don’t hold the place they should at the top of my priorities. I have good intentions, but as the saying goes, good intentions alone don’t get us very far.

I recently came across this poem:

“They were going to be all they wanted to be, tomorrow.
None would be braver or kinder than they, tomorrow.
A friend who was troubled and weary they knew,
Would be glad for a lift, and he needed it too.
And on him they would call and see what they could do—tomorrow.

Each morning they stacked up the letters they’d write—tomorrow.
And thought of the folks they would fill with delight—tomorrow.
The greatest of people, they just might have been.
The world would have opened its heart to them,
But in fact, they passed on and faded from view,
And all that they left when their living was through
Was a mountain of things they intended to do—tomorrow.”

That’s our struggle, isn’t it?

My grandfather, whom I affectionately called “Pop,” used to tell me, “Keep short accounts.” He was teaching me not to put things off, not to hold out on people, but to extend grace—as much grace as has been extended to me. That, I believe, is the true gift. And I’m learning that it starts with those closest to me.

But maybe for you, it’s someone farther away—someone you’ve been meaning to reach out to. Let me encourage you: don’t wait. Do it TODAY. As soon as you finish reading this, write that letter you’ve been meaning to write. Make that lunch appointment. Pick up the phone and call.

Don’t wait until tomorrow. Give grace now! 

Rev. James Williams 
Senior Pastor, Grace Resurrection Methodist Church

When I left a career I loved in advertising and marketing over 30 years ago, I thought, “I’m leaving an exciting, unpredictable life for a life in the church—a calm and serene future talking about Jesus!”

My last big project was with a British company I loved. The people and the work were different, creative, and new. There was often a curveball, and I always enjoyed finding solutions—almost daily. But what I found was that those few short years in marketing couldn’t hold a candle to life in ministry. It has been a beautiful rollercoaster ride.

Over the past five years, I’ve interacted with both the best and worst personalities. I’ve learned to love and forgive in some crazy ways. I’ve also met plenty of folks who had no business managing the life of the church—but that was a challenge leaders in the early church faced as well.

For the first time in ministry, I decided to go deeper with people—to build intimate relationships and not be so guarded about my shortcomings. I finally let go of the fear of allowing my staff and parishioners to know who I really am. What I found is that congregations often want limited reality in their pastors. The role is safer that way… at least in the short run. The more real I was, the harder it became to find solutions. And I realized that many on a church staff are not truly themselves in the church office. Unfortunately, masks are an all-too-common part of a church’s day-to-day operations.

I had just about given up on finding a grace-filled community to lead. I was determined to either be extra careful with my newfound freedom as an independent Methodist pastor—or go work at Walmart. So Natalie and I took two months to research, go deeper with one another, and pray. I stayed away from Christian books and church leadership studies, and for the first time in over 30 years, we worshiped as laypeople.

God was so, so good.

During that break, I read Dietrich Dörner’s The Logic of Failure. It’s a secular book, but it helped me tremendously in my spiritual growth. If you’ve read it, you might find that odd since it’s essentially a case study on how corporations handle major mistakes and the processes they use to “clean up the mess.” But as I read, I realized that failure is often the greatest catalyst for true change and redirection.

Dörner argues that failure is not the end but always a possible beginning. He identifies four habits of mind that account for the frequency of our failures:

1. The slowness of our thinking – We streamline problem-solving to save time and energy.
2. Our wish to feel confident and competent in our problem-solving abilities – We try to repeat past successes.
3. Our inability to absorb and retain large amounts of information – We prefer fixed mental models, which cannot capture a dynamic, ever-changing process.
4. Our tendency to focus on immediately pressing problems – We ignore the problems our solutions create.

For a secular book, I found that we as Christians have much to learn from Dörner. As followers of Christ, we don’t check our logic at the door. In giving myself away, I lost myself—not because I was wrong, but because I was inexperienced. Instead of people appreciating my vulnerability, I was taken advantage of.

It has been a very biblical past few years. And I’m a stronger pastor than I’ve ever been.

God never said, Give it all up. He said, Don’t cast your pearls before swine. Be wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove.Shake the dust off your feet and move on to the next town. Jesus never told us to check our brains at the door and trust everyone. In fact, He said quite the opposite.

It took a secular author to help me finally understand that.

Almost two months to the day after finishing that book, I found a grace-filled community. It’s a beautiful thing. In fact, I’m becoming more and more convinced that our feelings can lead us astray, making our problems seem larger and longer-lasting than they really are.

Process is healthy. Process honors God because God is a God of order.

I’m almost—I said almost—looking forward to the next problem.

~James

Yet when life hits hard, we often crumble. It’s natural. We live in a world where God’s power makes anything possible, yet we also face real struggles. Still, God is always good. He calls us: Keep coming to Me. My plan is perfect. Even when His ways seem distant, what other hope do we have?

I’ll admit- it’s hard for me, too. I pride myself on being self-sufficient, even though I know my strength alone isn’t enough. Have you ever felt that way? This Lenten season offers a fresh opportunity to release self-reliance and allow God to carry us.

The truth is, God’s path is flawless. His timing, His presence, His care. He invites us to rest and trust in Him. So let go of frustration and fear. Know that God sees you. Trust, believe, worship. Your answer is coming. That’s His Easter promise.

~James

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 1:13 (NIV)