Let Me Introduce You To:

Please allow me to introduce you to the most amazing person on the planet!

Her name is Thomasia Alexander. Thomasia is the most caring, loving, independent, beautiful, strong, wise, and incredible woman I have ever known. She has 5 wonderful children that she home schools and a husband that she has to care for 24/7…

She grew up in a Farmer’s home and that had its advantages. You see, she was taught early on that hard work pays off. She has an incredible work ethic and she understands the “law of the harvest”. She plants seeds everyday and expects to reap a tremendous return.

Thomasia has the unique ability to hear her child’s cry when it is silent. She can read her husbands face and interpret it without asking any questions. She is a knockout and she can cook a mean “Blueberry Pound Cake”! Thomasia loves and cares like no other person I know.

She has the ability to see through my faults and abilities and cheers me on when I want to quit! She works hard and sleeps little. Thomasia cares for others and weeps over bad news. She reaches out to long lost friends and embraces new people as if she’s known them forever. Thomasia is a true friend.

Folks, Thomasia Alexander is my wife.

Today is Valentines Day 2014! I have always really stunk at being a Romantic and Thomasia would clearly affirm that statement… But today I wanted to simply open my heart for the world to see.

Thomasia, I love you with every fiber of my being! Back in 1986, I saw you as a strong, wise, loving, young lady. Through the years, I have enjoyed every step of the journey. We have laughed. We have cried. We have witnessed the power of God and have traveled many dark roads. We have wrestled with God and taken steps of obedience. We have made wrong turns and with God’s help, made right ones too. We have seen friends come and we’ve seen them go. We have grown so much but still seem like kids! We have enjoyed many special moments like the time your friends showed up at your surprise birthday party. Like the time the doctor held our daughter up in the air and said, “You have a girl”! We have giggled and we have wept. We have searched and we have found!

Thank you for loving me with a Christ like love. Thank you for following me when the path has not been clear. Thank you for being the mother that you are and the friend I so desperately need! Thank for giving your all when it seems no one was watching!

You are a friend, mother, caregiver, teacher, chef, shuttle driver, counselor, scholar, spouse, partner, helpmate, bride, listener, friend, wife, laundry operater, companion and you are mine!

Happy Valentines Day!

I love you the most!

Matt

Advertisement

Words of Wisdom

As a pastor, I am constantly asking myself this question: Is my life and ministry making a difference in the lives of others?  I assume this is a question that most pastors ask themselves regularly.  I know I do…

Each week as I minister, serve, invest and preach God’s Word, I get so busy in the work that I rarely slow down and evaluate the life change in people’s lives.  To be completely honest, very few people share with their pastor how God is working in their life because of their investment into them.  So, this morning as I was celebrating the inward and outward change that I can see in our church family, I began to think about those men in my life that have poured TRUTH into my life and ministry through the years.

I would like to share briefly some wonderful “Words of Wisdom” from some of these men:

1.  Bryan Alexander-  when I was wrestling with God about answering the call to ministry, I ask my brother a question…  I said, “Bryan, when God called you into ministry how did you know where to start?”  He said, “Matt, I just started digging where Daddy Dug.” (Genesis 26:18) You see, our Dad was a pastor and he dug some wonderful wells for us to go and reopen.  He set a great example for us and Bryan was challenging me to just follow in Daddy’s footsteps.

2.  Wilburn Hill- he mentored be without even trying for over 24 years.  I grew up under his ministry and I watched every step he took and listened to every word he spoke.  I ended up serving on staff with him for a few years before he retired in 2010.  He always told and modeled for me this phrase… “Matt, love the people.  They will put up with a lot if they know you love them.”  Boy, those words have never been more true.

3.  Johnny Hunt-  Even though he does not know me, he has ministered to me in a major way since 2000.  One of the main things I use to hear him say over and over and over to men at conferences and pastors in meetings and from his pulpit was this simple prayer… “Lord, keep me close and clean.”  This is my pray as I strive to lead a body of believers and my family.

4.  Stan Jordan- I think I shared this in an earlier post but it’s worth repeating.  I was sitting in class at NOBTS one evening and Stan was our professor.  Stan was always early to class and on this particular evening, he was not on time.  I was experiencing a heavy weight in my life and was stretched out and time was flying so fast that I could not get everything done…  Stan walks into class and he sets his bags down and collects himself and begins by opening class in pray like he always did.  Stan began to pray and he confesses that he had a busy day and then he said these words… “Lord, thank you that in scripture, we never see Jesus in a hurry.”  Those words are a constant source of help to this busy pastor.

5.  Danny Singleton- this man has poured into me like very few people.  Danny lives a transparent life and he has given me so many “words of wisdom” through the years.  Here are a few… “Guys, we are just 1/2″ away from STUPID at any moment.”  “Hey, you would not like me if you really knew me.”  “God has called us to BE DIFFERENT ON PURPOSE.”  These truths have marked me and I’m thankful.

6.  Neal Hughes-  I’m not sure any man has marked me in such a short period of time like my friend, Neal Hughes.  Neal is the most caring, genuine, loving, compassionate, and intentional man I know.  Neal always has time for everyone and when he says that he loves you, he means it.  At the end of every service at CBC when he was our interim pastor, he gave us these words of comfort… “Have I told you today that I love you?”  It’s feels so good to be loved and I’m thankful for the love of Neal Hughes and the love of my Savior Jesus Christ!

I pray that my ministry and life mark people like these men!  I pray that God will give me “Words of Wisdom” for people in my circle of influence!  It will take intentionality!

I’m Committed,

Matt